


Christmas on Origae-6

by MerryLilHobbit



Series: Cabin on the Lake (Walter/Daniels stories) [7]
Category: Alien Series, Alien: Covenant
Genre: (not too much angst I promise), (well Walter sings Christmas songs), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Children, Christmas, Christmas Caroling, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Morning, Christmas Presents, Cold, Cold Weather, Cookies, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Fireplace love-making, Fireplaces, First Christmas, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grandchildren, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Hot Chocolate, Hurt/Comfort, Ice Skating, Kissing, Love, Making Love, Mistletoe, Non-Chronological, Rating May Change, Reading, Robot/Human Relationships, Romance, Sex, Snowmen, daddy!Walter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-09 08:38:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 24,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12884139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerryLilHobbit/pseuds/MerryLilHobbit
Summary: 25 short drabbles about Walter and Daniels celebrating Christmas on Origae-6.





	1. Decorations

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! So, I’ll be writing 25 short drabbles about Walter and Daniels celebrating Christmas on Origae-6 – some will be fluffy and some might be smutty, warnings will be posted in the notes. (A few might become longer than drabbles too, I’m not sure yet!)
> 
> In this drabble, Walter and Daniels aren’t together in a romantic sense but merely friends – he stays in the cabin overnight to give her a sense of feeling safe, but they are not in a romantic relationship.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

Of all the things Daniels was expecting to see when she entered the cabin that evening, the sight of plants and lights decorating every room was  _not_  one of them.

“Walter?” She called, shrugging off her coat and frowning.

Immediately he appeared, walking out of the kitchen area and smiling at her in greeting. “Good evening, Daniels. How was your day?”

“Fine. What the hell is all of…of…” She gestured around uselessly. “ _This_?”

Walter tilted his head politely. “They are plants from the greenhouse outside. I also managed to acquire some brightly coloured lights, though some of the bulbs will need replacing-”

“That’s not what I meant,” Daniels interrupted, somewhat fondly. “I meant, why is it in my cabin?”

“I was decorating because it’s December 1st – that means that the holiday of Christmas is twenty-four days away. Traditionally, trees are used and decorated with objects like baubles or bells and lights but we did not bring those things with us on our journey from Earth.” He frowned, looking uncertain all of a sudden. “You don’t like it.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it,” She said quickly, moving forwards. “Honestly, I just…I’m just surprised, that’s all. I wasn’t expecting it.” She took a moment to look around, taking in his additions to the home curiously. “I didn’t think you celebrated Christmas or any holidays like that.”

“I don’t,” Walter agreed. “I have never celebrated a Christmas before – this will be my first one. I assumed that you did, however; I apologise if I was wrong.”

Daniels was silent for a few moments, folding her arms and focusing on a large plant covered in red and blue lights. “I haven’t had a Christmas since Jake…since before we left Earth.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, Daniels,” He said carefully. “I will remove all of the decorations from the cabin tonight – I had no right to do this without your permission, given that it is your cabin and not mine.”

“It’s kind of your home too,” She disagreed quietly. “You’re here just as much as I am, so it makes sense if you want to decorate.”

“Even so, I shall make sure that I remove everything tonight-”

“ _Walter_.” Her voice stopped him, and she waited until he was looking at her once more. “Don’t remove anything – I think it looks  _great_.”

He looked surprised by her words. “Your initial reaction did not indicate that you liked it.”

“I was just caught off guard,” Daniels admitted. “I wasn’t expecting it… I didn’t even think about Christmas, you know, given everything that happened – but I like it, Walter, honestly. I think it’s kinda sweet that you decorated the cabin.”

“Oh. In that case, then I’m glad,” Walter told her, and his smile made something warm spread through her body that she couldn’t quite place. “I must admit, even with the amount of research I have conducted, I don’t know much about the Christmas holiday for humans. As I said, I have never celebrated a holiday.”

“Never?” She repeated, shocked by this. “But we were on the ship for seven years…didn’t you do anything to celebrate while we were in cryosleep?”

He shook his head slowly. “I had no reason to celebrate any holidays or dates – except for MUTHUR, I was alone on the ship.”

Daniels looked appalled for all of five seconds – and then she grinned, reaching out and taking him by the arm. “Well, I think we should change that; how about I help you finish decorating, and then we can go over other Christmas stuff?”

Walter smiled back, looking rather pleased. “I would like that.”


	2. Ice-Skating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve realized I usually write about Maggie in my headcanons or fics, so I’m going to give Jacob a bit of limelight in this!  
> I don’t ice-skate – I did it once when I was eleven on a school trip and clung to the wall of the rink the entire time – so if this is inaccurate to how people learn how to skate then I’m sorry!  
> Other than that, enjoy!

“Don’t let go of me, Mommy!”

“I won’t,” Daniels promised firmly, giving him a reassuring smile. “You’re doing real good, Jacob, I promise – and I’m not going to let you go until you’re ready.”

Jacob didn’t look completely convinced, but his trust and love of his mother won out over his uncertainty; mitten-clad hands gripping onto hers, he took a slightly wobbly step forwards on the ice. When he didn’t fall, he took another step forwards – and started to skid slightly.

“Hey, it’s okay!” She said quickly, not letting go of him as he visibly started to panic. “You can do this, Jacob – I know you can, it just takes practice.”

He nodded, looking out across the frozen lake to glance at his father and sister; to his relief, Maggie seemed to be struggling to stay upright on her skates too, clinging onto Walter’s hands tightly – it made him feel slightly better that he wasn’t the only one having some trouble.

For a few minutes, Daniels helped him take some more steps forwards; gradually he became steadier, and his face lit up when he increased his pace slightly without falling over. “Mommy, look! I’m doing it!”

“You’re doing great!” She laughed, glad that he was starting to become more confidant. “Alright, how about you try on your own now? I’ll be right here,” She added hurriedly when his expression changed to one of worry. “I’m not gonna let you get hurt, remember? If you start to fall, I’ll help you.”

Jacob hesitated before nodding, and he reluctantly let go of his mother’s hands; keeping his eyes on her and willing himself to be brave, he cautiously moved a foot forwards. His legs felt unsteady beneath him, like they were made of jelly, and he could feel the blades of his skates scraping over the ice – but he didn’t fall.

“That’s it,” Daniels told him, grinning proudly. “Keep going.”

He managed to push forwards twice more before growing unsteady, wobbling as he tried to regain his balance; he had started to fall when he felt his mother’s hands supporting him, helping him back up to find his balance once more. “I’m sorry,” He muttered, going red in the face.

“Hey, no need to be sorry,” She stated, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “When my dad taught me to skate, do you know how many times I fell on my butt? _A lot_. I couldn’t sit down for a week afterwards.” His lips twitched into a small smile, amused despite himself. “You’re doing a lot better than I did when it was my first time ice-skating – it just takes some time, that’s all. You’ll get there eventually, I promise.”

They had practiced for five minutes in the same way, Daniels putting more distance between them each time and never failing to catch him if he fell, when Walter and Maggie met them in the middle of the lake; the four-year-old was still clinging to her father’s hands, using him for support but looking pleased with herself nonetheless. “I took a step forwards without Daddy!” She told her mother and brother excitedly. “I fell over after, but I did it!”

“That’s great, Maggie,” Daniels said fondly. “Jacob’s nearly got it down completely; won’t be long until you’re both skating better than us.”

“I wanna skate with you now, Mommy,” Maggie declared happily. “So you can see how good I’m doing.”

Their mother chuckled, reaching out and taking her daughter’s hand. “Alright, we’ll switch it up for a little bit. Jacob, you wanna show your Dad how you’re doing?”

“Sure.” He took his father’s hand before letting go of hers, fingers squeezing around Walter’s tightly. “You’re not going to let me fall, right?”

“I won’t,” Walter agreed sincerely, and as he started to move across the ice he gently tugged his son along with him. “I was watching from across the lake; you’re doing very well – I doubt you’ll need help for much longer.”

“I will,” Jacob disagreed, somewhat uncertainly. “I’m not good at stuff like this… I just know I’m going to fall over and hurt myself."

The synthetic shook his head. “In my experience, I’ve found that falling over is a part of the learning process when it comes to ice-skating or similar activities. You _are_ getting better at it, Jacob, I assure you.”

He knew his father was incapable of lying – something about ‘programming’, which Jacob didn’t really understand – and so he couldn’t help the relief that started to wash over him. “Okay…thanks, Daddy.” He paused. “And thanks for making my skates, by the way. You’re awesome at making stuff.”

As they halted, Walter looked pleased and smiled widely. “I’m glad you like them, Jacob. Now,” Slowly, his hands released his son’s. “If I stand a few metres away, you can practice skating towards me; if I think you’ll fall, I’ll help you immediately. How does that sound?”

“Good…I think I can do that,” Jacob decided, grinning in agreement.

It took him less than half an hour to be able to skate all by himself; the pride he felt at being able to do it, however, was nothing compared to how happy he was when his parents both smiled proudly and cheered him on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason I was more stuck with this one than my other ones…oh well, I hope you all enjoyed it!  
> Please let me know what you thought and if you have any ideas/requests for what I can write in this little drabble series! I’ve got a few ideas but nothing is set in stone yet, so don’t be shy! :D


	3. Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s kind of a bit shorter than the other two but I had work and didn’t get back until late – also I had to eat!  
> I’m rehearsing every day this week and I have a Christmas party on Tuesday night (a work-do), so if I miss one day then I’ll post two the next day (or more!)
> 
> Enjoy some toasty-Walter and freezing-Daniels!

The temperature had dropped well below zero by the time they started to make their way back to their cabin that evening; Walter knew because he had tested the air as they left Tennessee’s home in the colony. Although he wouldn’t be affected by the cold like a human, he was sure to regulate his temperature and adjust it just in case – the last thing he wanted was one of his systems to freeze and need replacing.

Daniels, however, didn’t have such a luxury.

“You are shivering, Danny,” He stated, looking concerned.

She waved a hand dismissively, though he could see that she was visibly struggling not to let her teeth chatter. “I’m fine, Walter, really – I just wanna get back to the cabin.”

“You don’t appear fine,” He said gently, and before she could argue he had started to remove his coat. “You should take this; it might keep you somewhat warmer.”

“Seriously, no,” She huffed, though she looked touched. “You keep it on, Walter. It’s my own fault for forgetting my jacket when we left.”

Her synthetic frowned, holding the coat out to her. “I cannot feel the cold like you can, Daniels; to add, I can regulate my body temperature to withstand any weather – you cannot do such a thing.” When she didn’t move, he tilted his head. “I would feel better if you take it, Danny – I would prefer you to have it.”

“You’re so damn stubborn,” Daniels grumbled good-naturedly, taking the garment from him and throwing it around her shoulders; it felt large and warm around her, perhaps from his body heat. “There. Happy?”

Walter smiled, showing off his teeth. “I’m pleased, yes. Let’s continue home.”

Even though she hated to admit that he was right, the added layer of his coat did provide extra heat for her; even better, it smelled like him too. It was a smell she wasn’t quite sure how to describe: perhaps pleasant, earthy, fresh – most likely from so many hours of working in the greenhouses in the colony. It was one of the reasons she liked wearing his hoodie so much – that, and the fact that there was something decidedly intimate about wearing someone else’s clothing.

As they continued up the path that led from the colony to their secluded cabin by the lake, Daniels reached out and linked her fingers with Walter’s; when he looked slightly confused, she merely grinned happily. “You’re really warm.”

“Oh.” His smile returned. “I’m glad I can help you by being so warm; I would not want you to freeze and grow sick or die.”

“So romantic, Walter,” She chuckled affectionately, giving his hand a squeeze.

“I didn’t realize you wanted me to be romantic,” He mumbled, and to her surprise he sounded somewhat apologetic. “I’m sorry, I know I am not completely adequate at romance-”

Daniels laughed quietly, shaking her head to herself. “I was kidding, Walter – and I love you the way you are. You don’t have to change a thing, I promise.”

Walter paused and stopped walking – and then his face seemed to light up as he gazed at her. “I’m glad. I love you too, Danny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was super fluffy… As always, feel free to leave ideas for drabbles and feel free to leave a Kudos/comment! :D


	4. (Santa) Hat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so random – I hope you all enjoy anyway! :)

The children of Origae-6 had all grown excited about Christmas, that much was obvious; Daniels could always hear them singing carols while she worked in the field or tampered with terraforming equipment, their voices clear and bright. Even though the holiday season always brought back more than a few uncomfortable or melancholy memories, hearing them all get so excited in the weeks leading up to Christmas was enough to make her smile to herself.

It was starting to grow cold that evening, the sky already darkening despite it being early afternoon, and so she’d finished her work early before heading into the main colony area to try and find Tennessee; he had promised her a beer to take the edge off, well-aware that she was missing someone around this time of year – he, too, had someone missing. The thought made her frown to herself, pulling her coat tighter around her body as she walked; there had been several Christmases when she and Jacob had celebrated with Tennessee and Faris, and while the memories were happy ones they also brought about a sense of sadness.

 _It’s stupid to get sad – it won’t change anything. Besides, it’s not like I’m alone – I’ve got Walter_. The thought made her smile once more; over the past several years he had celebrated with her, learning about various Christmas traditions and enjoying the holidays. It seemed unbelievable that he’d never celebrated it before living with her in their cabin, but he had adapted quickly; he was the one who brought up decorating their cabin each year, the one who gently reminded her that Christmas was growing near, and she enjoyed their holidays together.

Tennessee was already in the bar, waving her over when she entered. “This home-brewed beer is shit,” He muttered as a way of greeting, pushing a glass towards her. “They’re still working on making it not taste like swill.”

Daniels wrinkled her nose but took a gulp of it anyway; it burned going down her throat. “Urgh, it’s even worse than last time. Only good thing is that it makes everything else suck a little less in comparison.”

He snorted with laughter, nodding in agreement. “Got that right. Hey, is Walter meeting us here? I wanna get his opinion.”

“He has no taste buds,” She huffed. “At least, he claims he doesn’t – and you won’t get him drunk. Believe me, Tee, I’ve tried.”

They’d been talking and bantering for ten minutes before the doors of the bar opened again; Tennessee looked up first, ready to wave over the person if they were Walter – and then he choked on his mouthful of beer. “What the _fuck_?!”

“What?” Daniels put her glass down and swivelled on her stool – and nearly fell straight off at the sight she was greeted with.

Walter merely took the seat next to her and smiled pleasantly at the two humans. “Good evening. How are you doing, Tennessee?”

“I’m fine,” He muttered, clearly trying not to snort with laughter. “And you, what…uhh…you good?”

“I’m well,” The synthetic agreed seriously. “I was helping the children throw a Christmas party at the school; their teachers seemed to be struggling to keep them behaved, so I thought I would attempt to placate them.”

Daniels smirked, unable to help it. “Is that why you’re wearing a bright red _Santa_ hat?”

“Oh, that,” He said, seeming unconcerned. “Yes, Becky insisted that I wear it – it was the rules; several of the children and teachers were wearing them, so I decided it would be best to fit in.”

“You’ve been walking around all day with that fucking thing on?” Tennessee asked, grinning to himself. “Yeah, I’ll bet you fitted right in with everyone else.”

Walter frowned then, looking confused. “You do not like my hat?”

“We don’t  _not-like_ it,” Daniels chuckled. “But-”

“But it’s got a damn bell on it,” Tennessee pointed out. “And it’s covered in _glitter_.”

Walter considered this; after a moment, he slowly reached a hand up and gently hit the bell attached to his hat so that it jingled. His lover bit her lip to contain what was most definitely a howl of laughter. “I rather like the hat,” He informed them seriously.

Daniels was desperately attempting not to laugh or chuckle at him, not wanting to hurt his feelings; her friend didn’t seem to share the same concern, shaking his head and grinning in amusement. “It’s a nice hat,” She said finally, though she didn’t dare look at him in case it set her off into giggles again. “If you like it, you wear it, Walter.”

“I will,” Her synthetic said, smiling again. “If you like, Danny, I could get you one to wear too.”

Tennessee snorted so hard that his beer spewed from his nose; even with the burning pain in his nostrils, he was laughing loudly.

“That’s…sweet of you to say, Walter,” Daniels muttered, smiling good-naturedly. “But… I think I’ll have to pass on that one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What even was this drabble :’) Tomorrow’s drabble may not come until Wednesday because I’m at a work do tomorrow evening – I’ll try to get it done but if I don’t then there’ll hopefully be two on Wednesday!


	5. Christmas Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had my work do and I ended up coming home a bit earlier than planned – mostly because I’m aware I have an 11am rehearsal tomorrow. With that in mind, please enjoy this next drabble!

“That doesn’t look completely safe, Daniels.”

She just hummed, stretching her body as much as she could to reach the ceiling of the living area; the sight of her perched precariously on a chair, attempting to string up Christmas lights, was enough to raise red flags of warning in Walter’s system. “I’m fine, Walter, really. I’ve nearly got it now – one of the perks of being so tall, I guess.”

“I could do it,” He offered helpfully – anything to get her out of harm’s way. “I’m slightly taller, and so perhaps I could reach that last area you need decorated.”

“I’ve got it,” She insisted, though it was obvious she still couldn’t reach the top of the wall. “I just…just a little higher…” She raised up onto the tips of her toes, pushing herself as high as she could.

Walter immediately moved closer, looking panicked. “Danny, please; I’m finding myself concerned about this. Standing on a chair is not completely safe, especially in the manner you’re doing it currently.”

“I do this all the time,” She huffed, slightly frustrated now. “Walter, I know you’re just trying to look out for me, but I can do this. I used to do this all the time when Jake and I decorated our apartment; I didn’t fall then, and I won’t fall now.”

He knew better than to keep disagreeing with her – she could be stubborn sometimes, never giving in, and it appeared that this was one of those times. His worry made him stand still, watching her movements closely.

Daniels made a noise of annoyance when she _still_ couldn’t reach the top of the wall, raising herself onto one leg and stretching as far upwards as she could; _finally,_ she could reach, and she grinned to herself as she positioned the lights. Sticking her tongue out and concentrating, she reached into her jacket pocket for a nail and for the hammer on her belt so that she could create a little notch to hang it up on.

She had hammered the nail in and started to shift the string of Christmas lights when the chair beneath her started to topple. Daniels cried out quietly as it slipped, and she fell, trying to prepare herself for the pain of hitting the floor and closing her eyes.

It never came; instead, she suddenly felt strong and secure arms catching and holding her, not even buckling under her weight. As she opened her eyes, she chuckled shakily at the sight of Walter holding her up. “Thanks.”

“I told you, Danny,” He said – though there was no malice behind it, still only concern and worry. “You could have seriously hurt yourself. Are you alright? Do you need to sit down?”

“I think I’m okay,” She agreed, relaxing into him; she didn’t weight a great deal, but even so, she knew that he was more than capable of lifting heavy weights that a human couldn’t. “Jesus, that was close.”

“I’m glad you’re _okay_ ,” Her synthetic told her gently, though he didn’t put her down; instead he was gazing at her, relief evident on his face. “In future, perhaps it would be best if I put the Christmas lights up in high places, just to be safe.”

Daniels couldn’t help but grin. “Or maybe you can just keep catching me when I fall.”

“Oh, I will certainly do my best to catch you if you’re falling,” He agreed, not quite realizing the romantic sentiment behind it. “I do not want any harm to come to you, Daniels. You’re very…special to me.”

“You’re special to me too, Walter,” She laughed, twining her arms around his neck; she hadn’t been in this position for over a decade, not since she and Jake had gotten married and he’d drunkenly decided to attempt to carry her over the threshold. Somehow it felt safer with Walter, perhaps because she knew he wouldn’t drop her or struggle with her weight in the slightest. “Again, thanks for catching me; can you imagine if I’d had to spend Christmas with a broken leg or something?”

“It’s not preferable,” Walter mused, and she couldn’t tell if he was being serious or attempting to be humorous. “Any time, Danny – I’m more than happy to help.”

As he set her down and offered to help her finish with the lights, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly to herself in amusement – if Tennessee ever caught wind about the fact she had literally _fallen_ into Walter’s arms, he would never let her forget it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying to save the super Christmas-y stuff for a bit later, but don’t worry – there’s some super fluffy things coming regarding presents and snow!  
> Please feel free to leave feedback – it is what keeps me going!


	6. Cookies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some family fluff for you all! :D I hope you’re all enjoying the lead-up to Christmas – 19 days to go! I’m personally very tired and exhausted because I’ve been working my butt off at university to rehearse for all my various performances, and then once Star Wars comes out I’ll probably have more shifts at the cinema so even after I finish this term at uni I’ll be busy! O_O But it could be worse, I suppose!  
> Anyway, personal note aside, I hope you all enjoy this drabble! For this, Jacob is six and Maggie is four.

The smell that greeted Daniels when she entered the cabin was simply _heavenly_ ; it was a smell she knew well, that literally every human being knew well, one that made her feel warm inside and at home. It was the smell of a perfectly baked batch of cookies, made with only the best ingredients, perhaps topped with icing (if the colony’s inventory allowed), and she couldn’t help but smile as her stomach gave a quiet rumble of anticipation.

She was just slipping off her coat and scarf when the sound of giggling met her ears, excitable and full of joy. “Let us try some, Daddy! I’m so hungry and they smell _so_ good…”

“In a few minutes, Jacob,” A deeper, calmer voice said fondly. “You can both try one when they’ve cooled down enough.”

“I’m getting that one,” Maggie’s voice declared. “It’s shaped like a tree, and I want it. Can I try the icing?”

“Of course. You can both dip a finger in, but only a small amount – if you have too much sugar, I believe your mother would not be happy with me.”

Daniels couldn’t help but roll her eyes fondly as she moved towards the kitchen, ready to greet her family and try some of their cookies. “Hey, guys!” She called. “So, what have you been up t-… Oh my God.”

Immediately both children lit up at the sight of her, jumping down from the stools they had been standing on to reach the counter. “Mommy! Mommy, you’re home!” Jacob cried happily, throwing his arms around her.

“We’ve been baking, Mommy!” Maggie exclaimed, pushing herself against her side. “Daddy helped us make cookies for Santa because he’s coming tonight – but he said that we can have some if we’re good, so we made extra!”

To Daniels’ shock, both of her children were _covered_ in baking ingredients, head to toe; Maggie’s dress was filthy, stained with what was probably egg yolk and icing as well as chocolate, whilst Jacob was wearing an alarming amount of flour – some of it had even gotten into his hair somehow. When she looked across the kitchen, she noticed that Walter was faring no better; she couldn’t even get amused over the sight of him wearing an apron because she was so stunned by the fact he was covered in several types of food.

And then there was the kitchen itself.

“Jesus, you guys made a mess,” She muttered, shaking her head at them. “How the hell did you get icing on the _wall_?”

“Maggie whisked it too hard,” Jacob informed her.

His sister scowled. “Did not!”

Even worse, she noticed that there was a large pile of washing up in the sink; nearly every bowl in the house had been used, it seemed, and everything was covered in cookie dough by the looks of things. Flour and sugar decorated the floor, along with a few pieces of egg shell, and she was certain that there was a lump of butter smeared across the wooden floor too.

“It’s a total mess in here!” Daniels huffed, though she couldn’t bring herself to be too angry. “Did any of the ingredients actually go into the cookies or just on you three?”

“I’d say that most of it was used in the cookies,” Walter informed her, smiling helpfully – he clearly didn’t quite understand the joke. “Though I must confess that the children did lick the spoon that was covered in batter several times.”

“It was yummy!” Maggie announced.

Daniels rolled her eyes, but any anger she’d had was now fading to amusement – the three of them really were too adorable for their own goods like this. “ _Great_. How many did you make?”

“We’ve just put a fifth batch in the oven,” Her synthetic stated before gesturing to the small tubs that were on top of the counter. “Those are the other four.”

“One batch is for Santa,” Jacob said excitedly. “And then Uncle Tee brought some beer over because he said that Santa likes beer to take the edge off!”

“And Daddy brought home carrots for the reindeer,” Maggie added, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “There’s one for each reindeer, but Rudolph gets the biggest one because he’s the leader.”

She couldn’t stop herself from grinning at that; of course, she was the one who drank the beer – the kids were none the wiser. “I’m sure Santa’s gonna be happy that you guys thought about him and his reindeer; I bet he’ll love the cookies and beer.” _I bet I’ll love the cookies and beer, actually_.

Her daughter tilted her head, big brown eyes doleful and curious. “Really? Do you think we’ll be on his nice list then, Mommy?”

“I don’t wanna be on the naughty list,” Jacob mumbled, somewhat worriedly. “My teacher at school told us that the naughty kids get coal and no presents.”

“I’m sure you’re both on the nice list,” Daniels chuckled, giving her son’s hair a ruffle. “But if you want Santa to bring presents, you know what that means?”

Neither of the children said anything, waiting eagerly to hear what she had to say.

“It means you’ve both got to get to bed early,” She finished affectionately. “Santa only comes when you’re asleep, remember?”

“But we’re too excited to sleep!” Maggie complained. “And I wanna meet Santa to hug him!”

Daniels laughed. “I know, I know, but it’s the rules. Come on, how about we try some of those cookies first, make sure they’re alright for Santa?”

As both children rushed to take a seat at the kitchen table, quickly reaching for one of the containers of cookies, Walter moved closer and looked somewhat puzzled. “Just to be clear…you are not angry about the mess?”

“Not really,” She said, shrugging and giving him a smile. “You guys looked so adorable I couldn’t stay mad about it – I especially like that apron, by the way.”

“I’m assuming you’re being sarcastic by your tone of voice,” He decided, and he was also smiling now. “It’s a very comfortable apron; Maggie picked it out for me herself.”

Daniels snorted quietly. “Yeah, I assumed as much based on the fact it’s pink and got frills.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Walter in a pink frilly apron and baking with the kids though – a sight we all need in our lives. :’)


	7. Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is totally not inspired by the fact I’m coming down with a cold or something…nope, not at all. ;)  
> Enjoy!

It had started as a tickle at the back of her throat, a small little pain; she’d tried valiantly to ignore it, telling herself stubbornly that it was just dehydration or something similar, perhaps even stress. The last thing she wanted was to get sick this close to Christmas.

Apparently, her body didn’t get the message – within just a couple of days her cold had come out completely, leaving her sniffling and sneezing ridiculously.

“Fuck sake,” Daniels muttered under her breath when she woke up, immediately clambering out of bed to the bathroom for a tissue; her nose was stuffy and she couldn’t breathe.

She had managed to wash and dress, ignoring how heavy her eyes were and how warm in the face she was growing, before heading down to the kitchen in the cabin; Walter was up already, preparing breakfast and whistling to himself, as always. He had poured her a mug of coffee, just the way she liked it; the sight made her smile despite how awful she felt.

“Good morning, Danny,” He greeted pleasantly, and the grin he gave her made her feel warm all over. “I didn’t know what you wanted for breakfast, so I decided to use the eggs we had left over – it would be a waste to let them go bad.”

“Great,” She said, stifling a yawn as she took her seat at the table; it seemed unfair to tell him that she wasn’t particularly hungry, and she didn’t want him to worry. “Eggs are great.”

Walter paused, detecting that things weren’t quite right. “Are you feeling well, Daniels? Your voice sounds hoarse.”

“Hmm? No, ‘m fine,” She dismissed, resisting the urge to blow her nose on her jacket sleeve. “Just…Just a cold, nothing important.”

Immediately he turned off the stove and moved over to her, concerned as he pressed a hand to her forehead. “You have a temperature, and you look as though you haven’t slept. If you’re not feeling well, then it would be advisable to rest and recover.”

“It’s a _cold_ ,” Daniels repeated, though she didn’t have the energy to roll her eyes. “I’ve had loads before, trust me – it’ll go away in a few days. I can’t miss out on work over something small like that.”

“All of your symptoms indicate that you’re not fine,” He disagreed seriously. “I suggest bedrest and warm liquids – I could even make you a soup for lunch, and I can crush Eucalyptus leaves in order to alleviate blocked nasal passages.”

She huffed, resting her head on her hand. “I’m fine, honestly; no point sitting in bed feeling sorry for myself, right? Maybe some fresh air will do me some good.”

“Maybe,” He allowed calmly. “But in the meantime, I would think it preferable if you stay inside and attempt to sleep off the sickness in your system.”

“It’s a _cold_ ,” She stressed, though she knew she was fighting a losing battle now. “Walter, I’m…touched that you’re so concerned, but I’m more than able to work. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

In the end, he had won out of sheer determination and perseverance – she was so tired and stuffed up that she’d given in reluctantly just to get him off her back. She didn’t miss the smug grin he gave her as she retreated upstairs to bed, and she silently vowed that once she was better she’d get back at him for this.

As it turned out, sleeping it off proved to be more than easy; Daniels was so exhausted that she was dozing in minutes, her breathing unsteady but quiet. When she woke an hour and a half later, nose more stuffed than usual, Walter was sitting on his side of the bed and reading to himself; as soon as he noticed her stirring, he put his book down and turned his attention to her.

“Afternoon, Daniels,” He said fondly. “Would you like some lunch? Research has shown that chicken soup is an effective choice of food when recovering from viruses or similar.”

“Yeah…chicken soup sounds great,” She murmured groggily, rubbing her eyes.

He brought her a tray up from the kitchen, making sure she was upright against the pillows before settling it on her lap so she could eat; he had brought up a steaming cup of tea too, and though she preferred coffee, she was grateful. Her throat hurt as she swallowed but she ignored it as best as she could, forcing herself to eat the entire bowl before drinking all of the tea in the mug.

“You’re not working?” Daniels asked tiredly when Walter came back from washing-up her lunch things.

He shook his head. “No, I decided that my services were best utilised here with you – if you would prefer to be alone, however, I will leave the cabin to give you some space.”

“No, stay,” She requested, patting the bed next to her. “You’re warm and comfortable - and I like having you here, you know? Just so I’m not alone.”

Her synthetic smiled, looking quite pleased but not saying a word as he sat on the bed again; he allowed her to settle against his side, her cheek resting on his chest and arm thrown over his torso, happy to help in whatever way he could. Once she was comfortable, he wrapped one of his own arms around her waist to hold her close, enjoying the feeling of her weight on him.

“You’re comfortable enough, Danny? Would you like another blanket?”

“No,” Daniels muttered sleepily, burying her face into his hoodie. “No, you’re warm enough…all warm…”

It didn’t particularly surprise him when she fell asleep less than a minute later, her flushed face relaxing and breathing shallow (but not dangerously so, he noted). Despite the fact she was clearly sick and not quite her usual self, Walter couldn’t help but feel what was almost certainly affection for her; there was something decidedly endearing about her being groggy and unwell, curling up to him.

He brushed the hair from her face gently, careful not to wake her up, before reaching for his book with his free hand; he would be there when she woke up and needed him, and for now he was more than content to stay with her and watch over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eucalyptus is a plant they put in vapor rub or whatever you call it to help open the nasal passageways so you can breathe…at least, I believe it’s a plant.


	8. Mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set the first Christmas where they’re a couple!  
> Enjoy!

Decorating the cabin had become a tradition over the past several years that they had been on Origae-6, one that they both greatly enjoyed; the first weekend of December every year, Walter and Daniels would get up early so that they could decorate the entirety of the cabin. They would cut down a small tree (always being sure to plant a new one that had been grown in the greenhouse afterwards) and decorate it with strings of lights, handmade charms and tiny wood ornaments that Walter had crafted himself; it wasn’t a traditional Christmas tree, by any means, but it was good enough.

That year had started no different; after breakfast, Walter had brought in a tree – potted and tended to almost-lovingly by him just days before – and they had started by decorating it. Now growing comfortable in their newfound relationship, however, it had been somewhat difficult to keep their hands off each other; frankly, Daniels preferred decorating like this even if it _was_ taking slightly longer than usual – it was worth it when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply, making her feel safe and warm inside.

Once the tree had been finished and the lights tested (Walter always had more than a few spare light bulbs on hand, just in case), they started on draping more lights on the walls and on the bannister of the stairs. It didn’t take long for her to start admiring his rear as he stretched to attach a string of lights over a doorframe, without shame – she didn’t even bother to look away when he turned to her, just grinning to herself and giving him a wink. A few times, she was sure that he was doing the same to her, though he always politely averted her gaze when she tried to catch him doing it.

“Like what you see?” She joked, laughing when he hurriedly avoided her eyes. “Hey, you’re more than welcome to look – I don’t mind that at all.”

His smile was somewhat sheepish, as if embarrassed to have been caught – but he didn’t tried to hide it after, much to her delight.

After a brief lunch (an hour that was spent kissing and touching more than actually eating), Walter suggested that she work on doing the outside of the cabin while he finished doing inside; knowing that they could spend some time together once the decorations were finished, she agreed and gave his ass a playful tap as she left.

Winters on Origae-6 were far colder than any winter on Earth she’d experienced, and even in her coat and hat Daniels found herself shivering. It had snowed the day before, leaving the planet covered in a blanket of white, and she allowed herself a moment to take it in; it really was beautiful to look at, far more beautiful than any Christmas snow she’d seen before. The lake had already frozen over too, which meant that soon she could go ice-skating again; she wasn’t as adept at it as she was at swimming, but it was still a fun way to pass the time nevertheless.

There was only one set of lights to go up outside – it seemed ridiculous to light the entire exterior of the cabin up like a beacon, she thought – and so she got to work immediately. The ice and snow on the ground made it decidedly riskier to clamber up onto the roof of the porch, and so she had to take her time – she was certain that Walter would worry if she broke her arm from falling off a ladder, for one, and she didn’t particularly want to spend Christmas in bandages.

It took half-an-hour, by which time Daniels was _freezing_ ; her hands were numb from having to clear snow from the roof, her joints going stiff and entire body shivering. Walter would most likely be finished inside by now, knowing how efficient he was, and so she hurriedly took the ladder to the shed near their cabin before heading inside – perhaps he could make her some hot chocolate to warm her up, she thought, or maybe he’d consider joining her in the shower. Both sounded like great ideas, and she grinned as she opened the door to their home.

At first she didn’t notice anything, too occupied with removing her outdoor clothes and boots; a fire had been started in the fireplace, much to her relief, bathing the room in a warm glow. It was only as she headed to the kitchen in search of her synthetic that she realized something else had been added to their Christmas decorations that year.

“What the…?”

It was a small plant attached to the top of the doorframe, hanging down just above her head; it looked like some kind of berry branch, she mused curiously, with green leaves and white fruits. The plant looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out what it was doing there.

“Danny?” Her eyes drifted from the plant to the kitchen counter; Walter was perched on a stool, watching her intently. “Are you alright?”

“I’m good,” Daniels assured him before gesturing above her head. “Did you put that there?”

The synthetic smiled, a shark-tooth grin. “Yes, I did. I’ve also put them on the doorframe to the bedroom and the one to the bathroom. Before we decorated, I did some research into other Christmas-time traditions and discovered that, in the past, humans were fond of putting a plant called mistletoe around their homes.”

“Mistletoe?” It clicked in her head, and she couldn’t help but smirk in amusement. “I see.”

“Tradition dictates that when two people stand underneath the mistletoe, they must kiss,” He continued seriously, standing and moving over to her. “I haven’t been able to trace the origins of this tradition, but it’s a practice I know many humans celebrating Christmas would partake in.”

“So…this is mistletoe then?”

Walter hesitated, looking somewhat apologetic. “No, it’s not. I was not able to find any mistletoe when I searched, and I don’t believe it grows on Origae-6. However, this plant is extremely similar in appearance and so I decided it would be an acceptable substitute.” He stopped in front of her, briefly gazing up and then smiling again. “We’re both underneath the mistletoe, it seems. If we want to keep with tradition, we should kiss.”

“Oh my God,” Daniels chuckled, and he tilted his head in confusion. “Just…wow, Walter.”

“I don’t understand what’s funny,” He said, looking concerned. “Have I done it wrong? I’ve tried to follow tradition-”

“No, you’re not doing it wrong,” She reassured him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and looking at him fondly. “It’s just…you don’t need any excuses to kiss me, Walter. You can kiss me whenever you want.”

Before he could say anything, she had leaned up and pressed their lips together eagerly; it took him a second to respond, and then his arms slid around her waist to pull her closer, eyes closing as he drank her in. When they separated, she was slightly out of breath and pink-cheeked – but grinning happily, eyes bright.

Looking at her in this moment, Walter decided then and there that he was going to take her up on her offer to kiss her whenever he wanted – mistletoe or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are Walter and Daniels horndogs? Pffffft, yes. Me too, Danny, I’d admire that rear. (I’m tired, forgive me)


	9. Story by the Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know why this occurred to me but it did…?  
> This is more based on my own Christmas memories, to be honest; I was seven (nearly eight) when the first Narnia film came out, and I received the book for Christmas – also, I went to a Christmas theatre show of LWW with my sister, so it’s a story I associate strongly with Christmas and winter time.  
> This also kind of gets a tiny bit angsty because Daniels is having flashbacks about her own father, but it’s also cute fluff… I don’t know :’)  
> If nothing else, enjoy Walter being a cute dad to his kids :3

Stories in the evening had become a custom for the family over the past several years, particularly in the winter time; after dinner had been eaten and homework was done, the children would wash and get into their pyjamas before rushing back downstairs to sit by the fireplace. Their parents would prepare hot chocolate or a similar hot drink for all of them before settling comfortably so that Walter could tell them a story. Fictional books were a rare commodity on Origae-6, something that only the rich had been able to afford on the Earth the Covenant had left behind, but they didn’t need books – Walter’s memory was perfect, and he was able to memorise or download entire books into his system if necessary, ready to be recalled and used at a later date.

On this evening, however, he had been able to locate a book; the library on Origae-6 was still extremely small, still growing, but he had managed to find a suitable classic children’s book that he thought the children might enjoy. When he had shown it to Daniels, she had merely grinned fondly and told him to go ahead – her approval was a good sign.

The cabin was bathed in a warm glow that December evening, from the fire as well as the Christmas lights that were decorating the interior, and already both children were bursting with excitement for the upcoming holidays; it was their final week at school for the year, just days away from the end of term, and neither could wait because every day that passed meant a day closer to when “Santa” would visit Origae-6. Once in their pyjamas, the children settled in their usual places for the night – Jacob against Daniels’ side, head on her shoulder, and Maggie on Walter’s lap as she sipped her hot chocolate.

“You’re both ready?” He checked.

Jacob nodded eagerly. “Yes, Daddy!”

“Ready!” Maggie chirped as she finished a sip of her drink; a small amount of chocolate smeared on her upper lip.

Walter smiled fondly, wiping it away from her face with his thumb carefully before picking up his book. “This book is a fantasy one, I believe, called _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_. I have never read it, but I have been assured by several members of the colony that it’s a good story.” He flipped his book open to the first page and cleared his throat; his daughter peered at the page in interest, looking at the small black-and-white illustrations. “ _Chapter One: Lucy looks into a Wardrobe_. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy…”

His voice was calm and gentle as he read, and it instantly drew both Jacob and Maggie in; Daniels merely smiled to herself contently, more than happy to watch both of their children grow captivated by their father’s storytelling skills.

“This story is about something that happened to them when they were sent away from London during the war because of air-raids.”

“London?” Jacob interrupted quietly, looking confused. “What’s London? What war? And what are air-raids?”

Walter paused, considering his son’s question. “Judging on the year this book was originally published, I believe it was the Second World War on Earth. London is a city in England, also on Earth, and I believe that air-raids were when planes would fly over large towns with the purpose of bombing them – the sound would warn people to hide so as to avoid them.”

“Oh.” He looked unsure of what to say. “We haven’t got that far in History class yet.”

“Keep reading, Daddy,” Maggie urged.

The synthetic cleared his throat before continuing. “They were sent to the house of an old Professor who lived in the heart of the countryside…”

It was a story her own father had read to her, Daniels recalled, and she couldn’t help but feel somewhat saddened at the thought; she had no idea where he was now, or if he was even still alive. Saying goodbye to him when she had left Earth had been one of the most difficult things she’d done – it had only ever been second to losing her late husband. She couldn’t help but compare the memory of her father reading it to her with the image before her of Walter doing it to their own children; her father had been an amazing parent, and their relationship had been strengthened after her mother abandoned them. Walter’s relationship with Jacob and Maggie was just as strong, for it was obvious that he absolutely adored them – and they adored him just as much.

As Walter continued to read further into the story, Maggie had finished her hot chocolate and had pressed herself against him to listen; Jacob was wide-eyed, laughing when their father attempted to put on voices for each of the characters but otherwise remaining quiet now. It was amazing how quickly they both fell under his spell, Daniels thought affectionately, though she found herself just as entertained (especially when her lover attempted to heighten the pitch of his voice for certain characters) – hearing him read was something she never tired of, regardless of what it was he was reading.

“The others who thought she was telling a lie, and a silly lie too, made her very unhappy,” Walter read. “The two elder ones did this without meaning to do it, but Edmund could be spiteful, and on this occasion he _was_ spiteful. He sneered and jeered at Lucy and kept on asking her if she’d found any other new countries in other cupboards all over the house.”

“That’s so horrible!” Maggie stated, unable to help herself as she pulled a face. “I don’t like Edmund – he’s being mean to Lucy even though she’s right.”

Despite herself, Daniels couldn’t help but smile sadly – she’d said a similar thing to her father when he’d first read the book to her too.

“He is being mean,” Walter agreed, giving his daughter a nod. “Even though it does seem unbelievable, it’s not impossible, and so it’s unkind to be mean.”

“I like Lucy the best so far,” She informed him.

Daniels had also liked Lucy best when she was Maggie’s age, and she grinned to herself; she and her daughter were more alike than she’d thought. 

They didn't finish the entire book that night - it wasn't a long book but the children  _did_ have school in the morning, after all - but it was obvious that the children loved the story already. While this was of course down to the story itself, Daniels couldn't help but muse that the reason Jacob and Maggie loved it so much was because of Walter reading it to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was super random but…family cuddles by the fire :3


	10. Christmas Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My family were watching “A Christmas Carol” so I named the drabble after the Ghost of Christmas Past – it’s got no relation to Dickens’ story, however!  
> Kind of a little bit angsty but still kind of cute? This delves a lot into Daniels’ backstory too (or, at least, my headcanons for it), so I hope that’s okay!  
> This is set in their first Christmas on Origae-6 together (so shortly after the first drabble I wrote) so they aren’t together in a romantic sense but there are maybe feelings starting to emerge…  
> Enjoy!

Daniels was already home when he arrived at the cabin, having finished her day’s work before him; as Walter shed his outdoor clothes and cast a glimpse over at her, he noticed that she looked sad – he knew the look well, having seen her in the depths of grief when they had been on the Covenant together. He didn’t like seeing her like this, and it made an unpleasant feeling appear in his systems.

She was curled up in one of the chairs by the fire, perhaps warming herself, and staring at the flames; he noticed that she was wearing one of her late husband’s jackets – she did this a lot, he noticed.

“Daniels?” He prompted gently, stopping a few feet from her. “Are you feeling well?”

She looked up, and he noticed that her eyes were slightly teary. “Yeah, fine,” She mumbled. “Just…thinking.”

“If you like, I can leave you alone to think,” Walter informed her politely. “I can start dinner for you in the meantime.”

“That’s sweet of you, Walter,” Daniels said, the corners of her lips twitching. “But I’m not that hungry… I don’t wanna be alone though. Could you maybe just sit with me?”

“Of course,” He agreed immediately, and he sat down in the chair opposite her own. “If you want to talk, then I will listen – I do not want you to feel unhappy, especially this close to an important human holiday.”

Her smile was a little more genuine now, though there was still something melancholic about her expression. “You’re so kind, you know that? I do want to talk about it, but…but it’s difficult. This whole holiday is difficult.”

“It’s your first Christmas without your husband,” He remembered, and she looked away from him to stare at the flames of the fire. “I’m sorry; I understand why this has made you sad. I wish I could do something to help you.”

“Just you being here helps me,” She assured him quietly, though she still didn’t look at him. “I don’t know how I’d cope if it was just me alone on Christmas – at least you’re here.” She paused, seeming to consider what she could say, before turning back to him. “Jake loved Christmas, you know; it was his favourite holiday. I wasn’t really into it until I met him – not since… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be putting this all on you.”

Walter just shook his head, giving her the most reassuring smile that he could muster. “I told you, I am more than happy to listen – I may not be able to offer the best advice, based on my own lack of experience, but I will listen if you need to say things. Talking has helped in the past.”

“Yeah, it has.” Daniels pulled the jacket around herself tighter, glancing down at her lap as she continued. “When that _bitch_ left me and my dad, it got too difficult to celebrate Christmas – everything just kept getting more expensive, and we couldn’t afford it. It was only when Jake and I got married that I celebrated it again.”

It seemed like she had more to say, and so he said nothing, instead listening intently to all she had to say.

“He was like an excitable puppy at Christmas,” She mused, and her eyes were glistening again. “We’d decorate our apartment together, always the first weekend of December; we didn’t have a lot of decorations, didn’t want to be tacky or anything, but it was still nice. Jake had some tree decorations from when he’d left home, and my dad gave us the ones I used to have as a kid – we made it work. It wasn’t about the decorating or presents or anything though, not to us: it was about being together, about relaxing.” Her bottom lip trembled slightly. “The last Christmas we had before we left Earth, he turned to me with this…this grin, so happy, and said that the next one would be once we’d started our new lives.”

“Daniels…”

But she continued on, despite the fact she was close to tears. “He planned it all out; we’d have a couple of years, just the two of us, and then maybe we’d…we’d have a family. That was what he was excited about most, I think; a family to celebrate the holidays with.” She looked away hurriedly, scrubbing at her eyes with her jacket sleeve. “It’s stupid, I shouldn’t be so upset about it.”

“It’s not stupid,” Walter disagreed sincerely, and he suddenly wished he could do more to help her in this moment. “It’s understandable that you miss your late husband, and that you continue to think about him and what the future might have brought. Many studies have shown that the level of grief felt is not correlated to the time passed in any way – it does not get progressively easier over time but instead comes and goes.”

“I know,” She sighed miserably. “It’s just… I didn’t think I’d have to spend Christmas alone. I always figured that Jake would be there to celebrate with me – and now I don’t know what to do.”

He hesitated, debating if what he was about to say would be appropriate for the situation or merely just upset her further. “If you don’t mind me saying, you’re not alone; I have never celebrated before, as you’re aware, and so I will need you to teach me the traditions and customs of the holiday. To add, I am more than willing to spend Christmas with you, if that is still acceptable.”

Daniels gave a watery chuckle, rubbing her eyes again – but she seemed somewhat comforted. “Yeah, that’s still acceptable, Walter.” For a few seconds, neither of them said anything; then she cleared her throat, giving him the smallest of smiles. “I’d _love_ to spend Christmas with you, Walter, really.”

Walter tried to ignore the pleasant feeling that ran through his wires when she smiled and said that, but he couldn’t help it; perhaps it was merely because he was pleased to have helped her and made her feel better, he decided.

Deep down, he knew it was more than that – that it was something he _shouldn’t_ be feeling – but in this moment, he couldn’t bring himself to be concerned about it one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where is the rest of the fandom at? :/  
> I was going to add flashbacks of Jacob in but I couldn’t quite figure out how to do it…maybe I’ll write that another time? Who knows? ;)


	11. Fireplace Love-Making

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kinda-definitely NSFW! I was planning on writing a longer fic about this certain thing, but I thought I’d just test the waters with a drabble too ;) (and it's longer than a drabble lmao)

It was quiet and relaxed inside their cabin that evening, the only sound being that of the crackling flames and Daniels’ even breaths; occasionally she would take a sip of her hot drink quietly, but other than that it was completely peaceful. The two of them had curled up in one seat on the fire, Walter behind her whilst Daniels leaned back against him; her back was against his chest, his chin on the top of her head, a familiar position they had both grown fond of over the several years they’d been together.

Eventually she finished her drink, leaning away from her lover to place the mug on the floor before sitting back; she sagged against him contently, so happy that it sometimes felt unreal. He smiled to himself at the feeling of her weight against him, and his fingers started to drift over her thigh; his touch was soft, gentle, _perfect_.

“That feels good,” She murmured, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back; a warm feeling had started to grow in her belly. “ _You_ feel good.”

“You feel good too,” He informed her softly, and his lips were brushing over the back of her head all of a sudden. “Danny…”

It had been a while since they’d last been intimate – well, a week, but even that seemed long to them – so to waste time seemed rather stupid. Daniels twisted around in her seat, her mouth suddenly seeking his desperately; he obliged, kissing her back and drinking her in. She tasted like the drink she’d consumed – hot chocolate with a touch of cinnamon – as well as something distinctly fruity, perhaps strawberries or some kind of berries; it made his programming stir in response, all of his systems overloading at the sensation.

“Bed?” He asked when she pulled away for air.

“No, here,” Daniels muttered eagerly, pulling at his hoodie. “Here, by the fire.”

Walter’s brows furrowed slightly. “I doubt that this seat is big enough for us to…engage in intimate activities.”

She merely grinned, suddenly standing from their seat and taking his hand. “It’ll be warmer on the floor, nearer to the fire.”

“Ah, I see. Alright then.” He smiled back, immediately allowing her to pull him from the seat and down closer to the fireplace.

Thankfully, the wooden floorboards near the fire had been covered with a small plain rug – it made things so much more comfortable this way. Daniels didn’t waste any time in undressing, allowing Walter to help her before throwing them to the side; she looked so beautiful in the dim light of the fire, he mused, close to perfection. He didn’t have time to dwell on this, however, as she started to pull at his clothes quickly, mouth seeking his once more and moaning when he reciprocated.

“Fuck,” She breathed as he pulled away and lifted his hoodie over his head. “It’s been too long.”

“A week isn’t considered long for most humans,” He mused, ridding himself of his shirt; he started to push down his trousers, bringing his underwear along with them. “Some even prefer to wait more time between sexual encounters.”

Daniels laughed, shaking her head. “Well, a week is long to _me_ ; we’re never going that long again.”

Now that he was fully naked, she pressed herself against him eagerly, seating herself in his lap; she groaned when the head of his erection brushed against her slit, grinding herself down instinctively. She was wet, he noted, even without foreplay – she really must have been eager for intercourse, he decided.

“Walter,” She said, voice sounding weak. “Can I…? Please, I can’t…”

He knew what she wanted – it was obvious, and he nodded. “Please do.”

Reaching one hand beneath her to grip him, she raised her hips and positioned herself just above; locking eyes with him, she slowly sank down onto his length. A low moan slipped from his mouth at the feeling of her engulfing him, hands holding onto her hips tightly.

“ _Fuck_ ,” She hissed as she bottomed out, though he knew it was from pleasure and not pain. “So good…Jesus…”

Brushing some stray hair from her face gently, he smiled; his look was one of adoration and love, one that made her heart skip a beat. “Move whenever you’re ready, Danny. I’ve got you.”

Daniels grinned, thrusting her hips experimentally; his fingers pressed into her hips more, just enough for her to notice a difference, and she was exhilarated because she knew it to be a sign he liked it. Sliding her arms around his neck and planting her feet on the ground behind his back, she started to move fast; there was little point in holding back, and she doubted it would be the only time they had sex that evening – they could do it slowly later, but now she was _desperate._

“Shit,” She cursed, kissing him hard; she groaned when he kissed back just as passionately, his tongue slipping into her mouth.

Walter started to move with her as best as he could, thrusting up to try and increase the pleasure she was feeling; she was tight and warm, a perfect fit for himself (if such a thing existed). The noises she made only served to spur him on, wanting to pleasure her and himself in this act; he would wait for her to find her finish first before seeking his own – usually seeing her come undone because of him was enough to push his systems into a complete overload.

After a few minutes, her thrusts started to slow; when he looked puzzled, she merely winked at him and gestured behind her. “Make love to me.”

“I am.”

“No,” She chuckled, not unkindly. “I meant that I wanted you on top.”

Understanding dawned on him. “Oh. I understand now.”

Daniels laughed softly when he surged forwards, laying her down on the rug beside the fireplace carefully without removing himself from her; once she was comfortable, she wrapped her legs around his waist and gazed up at him. “Walter…”

Ducking down to kiss her throat, Walter started to move; she sighed out in pleasure, tilting her head back and whispering his name. Beneath him, with the warm flames of the fire lighting up her face, she was the closest thing to a personification of heaven that he could ever conceive – it was an image he would never want to forget, and he was glad that his memory was far superior to that of a human’s because he never wanted to forget one moment of his life with her.

It didn’t take long for her to grow close, clawing at him and kissing every part of his face that she could reach; she could feel herself hurtling towards the finish quickly, every inch of her body alive and thrumming with desire.

“Fuck, Walter,” Daniels whimpered, one of her hands reaching down to cup his rear. “ _Yes_ , so close…love you so much…”

Increasing the pace of his thrusts, he gave a small groan and buried his face into her shoulder. “I love you too, Danny. Cum for me, I’m here…”

Just seconds later she was climaxing, crying out loudly and clutching at him as her entire body shook; the feeling of her walls clenching around him and the knowledge that he had caused her to peak was more than enough for him. His moan was low and deep, almost pained, as he buried himself deep into her and tensed; she could feel the fluid he released into her, sticky and nearly identical to what a human would produce, and she sighed contently at the feeling as she rain her fingers through his hair.

It took Walter a few minutes to regain enough of his functions to lift his head, and when he looked down at her, his gaze was intense and loving. “That was satisfactory, I believe?”

“More than satisfactory,” Daniels laughed fondly, still out of breath as she pressed a small kiss to his mouth. “That was _fucking_ amazing. We should do that more often.”

“Do you mean sexual intercourse or making love by the fire?”

“ _Both_ ,” She stated seriously, though she was grinning too. “You know, I love you – I love you so much.”

His face lit up, eyes bright; he knew, she told him often that she loved him, but it still pleased him to hear. “I love you too, Danny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame Fassbender’s beautiful body ;) All Fassy’s fault! (and his chemistry with Katherine, I mean seriously, the two of them have so much chemistry it hurts)


	12. Presents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some family fluff! :3 Are you all getting excited for Christmas? I’m not just yet, only because I’m still at uni this week and then I’ll be working over the holiday period while Star Wars is out! :O   
> Jacob is about five, and Maggie is only three – so she’s tiny and smol :3
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Walter was the first one to be aware that the children were up; Daniels was still fast asleep, exhausted, whilst he had been up already recharging himself for the day ahead. His superior hearing picked up the sounds of the children crying out in delight, jumping out of their beds and chattering to each other excitedly when they met in the hallway. Their footsteps started to draw near, fast little patters against the wood of the floor, and then the door handle turned before opening.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Maggie exclaimed, running in first with her teddy bear clutched in hand and her brother close behind; both children clambered up onto the bed, bouncing on the mattress excitedly. “Christmas! Christmas!”

“Santa came!” Jacob cried happily, giving their mother a shake. “Wake up, Mommy, Santa came!”

Daniels groaned, trying to bury her face into her pillow. “Five more minutes.”

“But Santa, Mommy!” Their son stated. “Daddy, tell Mommy to get up because Santa came!”

Walter smiled, accepting his daughter’s hug as she clambered into his lap and pressing a kiss to her forehead before turning to his lover. “Daniels, the children have informed me that someone called Santa came to the cabin. I think they would like you to wake up and get out of bed to see if this man left anything.”

Daniels huffed, grumbling good-naturedly as she rolled over and sat up sleepily; her hair was sticking up in tufts, messy and disorganised – the synthetic decided he found this image rather _adorable_ , as his daughter would say. “Alright, fine, I’m up. Merry Christmas to you guys too.”

“Merry Christmas, Mommy!” Jacob declared, throwing his arms around her; despite her grogginess, she smiled sleepily and returned the hug. “Santa left stuff in the stockings in our rooms, you know; do you think he left anything under our tree?”

“Maybe,” She chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Do you think you’ve been good this year?”

“I think I have,” Jacob said, somewhat unsurely. “I shouted at a boy in the summer, but he was being mean so maybe that doesn’t count… Would I be on the naughty list for that?”

“I don’t think so,” Daniels assured him. “I think you’ve both been good this year – I’m sure Santa does too.” Both children looked extremely relieved to hear this, much to her amusement; it was more than easy to feel festive and in the holiday spirit with the two of them so excited and happy. It simply warmed her heart to see. “So, Santa filled those stockings, huh?”

“Yeah,” Her son told her eagerly. “He put little wooden toys in there, and chocolate-”

“Santa hat for teddy!” Maggie announced.

Daniels noticed that her daughter’s beloved teddy bear – gifted to her by Tennessee when she was a baby – was wearing a tiny felt hat and she grinned; everything in the children’s stockings had been made by Walter over the past few weeks, crafted to perfection. Beside her, she noticed her lover briefly look proud with himself, and she sent him a wink.

“Can we see if Santa left anything downstairs?” Jacob asked hopefully. “Please, Mommy? Daddy?”

“Alright,” His mother laughed affectionately, and both children immediately started to move to get to the door. “Hang on, hang on, let me put a jumper on first, guys!”

As she located a hoodie to throw on over her pyjamas, Walter headed downstairs to start a fire in the living area; the children waited on the top step of the stairs, waiting somewhat impatiently to run down. Daniels laughed at the sight of them as she left the main bedroom – at Jacob gripping onto the bannister and Maggie bouncing on the balls of her feet behind him – giving them both a hair tousle and kiss on the forehead.

After a minute or so, Walter appeared at the bottom of the stairs and smiled knowingly at them. “You can come down now.”

Immediately Jacob took off, racing down the stairs eagerly and nearly tripping, whilst Maggie followed behind him, taking the steps one at a time and gripping to the bannister like a lifeline. “Alright, buddy,” Daniels called to her son fondly, taking Maggie’s free hand to help her down the stairs. “Try not to break any bones - Christmas isn’t going anywhere.”

Jacob jumped the last step and looked back at his mother and sister. “Come on, you’re being slow!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Maggie said, pouting adorably as she went down a step.

“You’re doing great, Mags,” Daniels assured her, giving her tiny hand a squeeze. “Your brother’s just impatient.”

By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, Jacob was gripping onto his father’s hand and attempting to pull him in the direction of the living area. “Can we look now please?”

 “Alright, go on,” His mother told him, and she grinned when he immediately raced away, pulling Walter with him. “Shall we see if Santa brought anything, Maggie?”

“Yes!” The three-year-old agreed eagerly, and she started to pull her along too. “Santa! Santa!”

Both children starting to cry out and shout in excitement when they saw the wrapped boxes underneath their tree, immediately letting go of their parents’ hands in order to take a closer look. Walter noticed Daniels beaming to herself at the sight of them so excited and elated, and he couldn’t help but smile too; it made him feel pleased that the children were so happy.

“This one’s got my name on it!” Jacob announced, pointing to one of the presents. “And that one!”

“Any for me?” Maggie asked hopefully – she couldn’t read just yet.

Walter scanned the pile before picking up a box and nodding to her. “Yes, this one has your name on it – there are many with your name on it, in fact.”

The girl lit up. “Yay! Can we open them?”

“Knock yourselves out,” Daniels agreed, and the children started to search among the presents.

Walter looked confused. “You don’t literally mean that you want them to knock themselves out, of course… That is, you do not mean it in the sense that you would like them to give themselves a concussion?”

She laughed loudly, wrapping her arm around his waist. “It’s a figure of speech, Walter; of course I don’t want them to knock themselves out.”

“I see.” He smiled at her, eyes bright. “In that case: Merry Christmas, Danny.”

“Merry Christmas, Walter,” Daniels murmured contently, leaning up to kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop for family fluff and kisses. :) Jacob’s a little more boisterous in this one, but that’s down to it being Christmas and because he’s only five – later on he’s a bit shyer and less open, but for now he’s just an overexcited kid on Christmas…and Maggie is just a tiny little sweetheart :3 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!


	13. Christmas Carols

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that deleted scene of Walter whistling to the plants? Well, naturally we could assume that he MIGHT sing to them too… ;)

The snowfall had been heavy that year on Origae-6, making it impossible to grow crops or farm; as a result, the greenhouses were used to engineer and grow food to help the colony survive over the coming winter. The only greenhouse not used for colony purposes was Walter’s.

Just a few feet away from the cabin on the lake was a private greenhouse that Daniels had told him was _his_. He could grow whatever he wanted in there, she had encouraged, and all of the plants were for his own personal use only; he had been so stunned when she’d done this that he hadn’t been able to do anything but thank her several times – it was a strange but pleasant feeling that ran through him, knowing that this greenhouse was just for him, one he was not used to feeling.

The memory of his face when she’d given him the greenhouse was one of Daniels’ favourites; she couldn’t help but grin whenever she thought about it, heart skipping a beat as she remembered how his face had lit up in undisguised delight. No matter what the weather – rain, shine, snow, storm – he never failed his plants; not a single one died under his careful care, a fact he was clearly proud of.

It was a chilly evening when Daniels struggled through the snow and sleet to reach their cabin; she was _frozen_ to the bone, unable to stop herself from shivering, and she wanted nothing more than to make a hot drink and sit wrapped in her lover’s arms next to the roaring fire. However, as she kicked the door shut and looked around, she realized that he wasn’t there despite the fact he had finished working earlier than her.

“W-Walter?” She called, folding her arms. “Walter, you in here?”

There was only silence; if he was in the cabin, regardless what room, he would have heard her due to his superior hearing, and he would have definitely answered her. No, it was obvious that he simply wasn’t there. Teeth chattering, she considered where he might be; though he didn’t feel the cold like humans did, even he would be affected by a temperature this low – his systems might freeze, or perhaps his programming wouldn’t be able to cope with keeping him warm enough. The thought made her gnaw on her lip.

After thinking about it, she decided there was only one place he’d possibly be in weather like this: his greenhouse.

 _Of course_ ; _can’t let those plants freeze,_ She thought fondly, and she braced herself before reopening the door; immediately a gust of wind hit her in the face, icy and sharp, and she had to grit her teeth together before making her way outside.

Even though the greenhouse was mere feet away from their cabin, Daniels found herself struggling to trudge through the snow and wind to reach it; the only thing strengthening her resolve was the fact that she could see movement through the glass panels – she had no doubts that Walter was in there now. Forcing herself to take the last few steps, she hurriedly pushed open the door of the greenhouse and darted inside before pulling it shut behind her; immediately a warmth greeted her, and she couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

It took her a moment to hear it at first, given how preoccupied she’d been with getting _in_ and out of the cold – but then it reached her, clear as day.

“ _Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…_ ”

The voice was unmistakable – she heard it every night before she slept and every morning as she woke up; it was a voice she loved, calm and smooth.

“ _Oh what fun it is to ride, on a one-horse open sleigh…Jingle bells, jingle bells…_ ”

Daniels grinned to herself as she silently made her way towards the voice, careful not to alert him to her presence so that she could watch. She found him as she looked between two orange and pink flowering plants, pruning something that looked remarkably like an orchid; he didn’t appear to notice her, too intent on his task at hand.

“ _You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen, Comet, and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen…but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all_?” Walter sang to himself, the corners of his mouth twitching. “ _Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer…had a very shiny nose… And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows_ …”

It was just _too_ adorable; Daniels had to stop herself from laughing at the sight, thoroughly entertained by the sight of her synthetic lover singing Christmas Carols to himself in his greenhouse. His singing was only slightly off, and there wasn’t much variation in pitch or tone, but it was still relatively pleasing to the ear – at least, to _her_ ear.

Unaware of his private audience, he turned to another plant and started to belt out another song enthusiastically.

“ _Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me… I’ve been an awful good girl, Santa baby… and hurry down the chimney tonight_ …”

This was the last straw for her; unable to help it, Daniels burst out laughing. Immediately Walter stopped singing, turning to look at her with a confused frown.

“Danny? What are you doing here?”

Still chuckling to herself, she stepped out from behind the plants she’d been hiding behind and moved towards him. “Oh God, Walter… _Jesus_ …” She wiped a tear from her eye as she looked up at him. “Your singing…”

“Oh.” He hurriedly looked down at his feet; he was unable to blush, but if he could have then he _definitely_ would have. “I apologize.”

“What? No, you don’t need to apologize,” Daniels reassured him quickly, worried she’d hurt his feelings.

Walter avoided her eye, somewhat embarrassed. “I’m apologizing because I’m aware that my singing was most likely not…in tune,” He said humbly. “I won’t do it again-”

“Woah, hang on!” She interjected, now frowning at him. “I don’t want you to stop singing at all – if you want to sing, then you sing! I just thought it was kinda funny because I’d never seen you sing before, you know? And you were fine, alright?” She put a hand on his arm, looking at him seriously. “I mean it, Walter: don’t you dare stop singing just because of me walking in on you. If it’s what you like to do when tending to the plants, you fucking do it.”

“I see.” Slowly, he offered her a small smile. “The children in the colony have been singing Christmas carols all week at school, and so the songs have become…” He pondered for a phrase.

Daniels grinned. “Stuck in your brain?”

“Well, in my database and main system, yes,” Walter agreed. “I intended to only whistle the songs as I worked, but I allowed myself to be carried away.”

“You never told me you whistle to the plants,” She teased good-naturedly, wrapping her arms around him. “That’s kinda cute.”

His smile turned somewhat playful, even as he looked seriously at her. “Why do you think I was whistling to the plants?”

The pleasant sound of Daniels’ laughter was more than enough to make him decide on one thing: he’d have to attempt singing around her more often, if only to hear that noise again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so “Santa Baby” appeared when I typed in lyrics for Christmas Carols – I’m not sure if it is indeed a Christmas carol, but it’s a Christmas song so it still fits! XD
> 
> The “why do you think I was whistling to the plants?” line is literally exactly what he says in the deleted scene XD I figured he probably saves any jokes he hears so that he can re-use it himself later – if only to make Daniels smile.
> 
> Fun fact: Michael Fassbender is actually...kind of okay at singing??? I mean, I watched the video of him on YouTube singing and was like "HEART EYES" but maybe I'm biased! :')


	14. Decorations II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a good reason some of these have a Part II…I just can’t think of it XD
> 
> Don’t worry, if it’s a Part II then it’s completely different to the first one under that name; one part has Walter/Daniels together on their own, and then one with the kids. I’ll try to make them as varied as possible, but if you have any ideas that I haven’t done yet then please let me know!
> 
> Tooth-rotting fluff on the way! :)

The entire living area inside the cabin was _covered_ in boxes and Christmas lights that afternoon; it was the first weekend of December, which meant that it was time to decorate for the upcoming holidays. A tree had been potted and placed in the corner near the fireplace, and it had taken little time for the family to start decorating it.

“Remember,” Walter said helpfully to the children. “Certain decorations will look more aesthetically pleasing when they’re on branches closer to the lights – try to put things that will shine or glow near the lights.”

“Like this?” Jacob carefully placed a shiny metal ornament on a branch and stepped back to admire his work.

His father smiled. “Yes, exactly. Well done, Jacob.”

“I wanna put things on the tree,” Maggie mumbled, standing on her tip-toes. “Too short.”

“You can do the lower branches,” Jacob suggested.

She frowned. “No, no one will look at the bottom of the tree – no one will see my decorations!”

“It’s alright, Maggie,” Walter assured her, and he bent down to lift her; she giggled as he raised her into the air. “Now you can reach the higher branches. Okay?”

“Perfect, Daddy!” Maggie informed him happily. “Thank you!”

As the children set about working on the tree, Daniels entered from the kitchen with a mug of coffee and grinned at the sight. “You guys started without me!”

“Daddy started,” Her daughter corrected. “Not us.”

“We can take everything off and start again, if you like,” Walter offered.

Daniels laughed. “Nah, I was just kidding. It looks great so far though.” Putting her coffee down on the table and moving closer to the tree, she ruffled Jacob’s hair before reaching into one of the boxes to grab a decoration. “So, you guys excited yet?”

“I am!” Maggie announced, not noticing when Walter had to adjust his grip on her to keep her up high. “At school, they’ve put all the decorations up already and it looks so pretty because everything sparkles and shines! Also, my teacher said that we’ll be doing fun stuff soon to relax before lessons finish, like games and even a class party!”

Jacob nodded eagerly. “Yeah, our class party is next week on the Wednesday – the teacher said we should all dress up in sweaters and stuff! It’s gonna be awesome!”

It didn’t take long to finish decorating the tree, covering it in as many lights and homemade decorations as possible; both children were fascinated as Walter put a carved and painted angel on top of the tree, engrossed and in awe of their father’s handiwork. With the tree done, it was mostly lights and things around the house; as the children were both too young and too small to string lights up, they merely watched their parents work while offering random pieces of advice.

“It’s too low, Mom; maybe a little bit higher?”

“Daddy, you should put the lights around the picture frames on the wall.”

“That’s a good idea! Mom, do what Maggie said!”

It was rather amusing, seeing them get so enthusiastic regarding the placement of lights – it made the children feel included too, which was what their parents wanted most of all. It didn’t take long to decorate downstairs, the lights glowing brightly in the warm and comfortable space of the cabin; both Jacob and Maggie giggled when they noticed Walter silently putting up a plant similar to mistletoe in one of the doorframes, and Daniels merely rolled her eyes fondly.

“You don’t need an excuse to kiss me, remember?” She murmured, out of earshot of their children; her grin was sly.

Walter merely smiled, somewhat playfully. “Oh, I know that I don’t need an excuse – but it’s tradition, after all, and we shouldn’t break tradition.”

She laughed, leaning forwards to kiss him when Maggie came running up to them, seeming to bounce on the balls of her feet. “Hold on, I wanna be the first one Daddy kisses under the plant because I’m his best girl!”

Daniels was chuckling as she moved away. “Of course – he’s all yours, Mags.”

Maggie beamed, reaching up her arms to Walter; he looked amused as he lifted her up and planted a kiss on her cheek. As he pulled away, she pressed one to his cheek in return and looked pleased. “Thank you, Daddy! Mommy, he’s all yours!”

“Thanks, Maggie,” Daniels huffed out good-naturedly as her lover lowered their daughter to the ground; as the girl skipped away, she moved closer to Walter and gave him a small kiss on the mouth. “There – no traditions broken.”

He tilted his head. “That was a very small kiss – I barely had time to register it. Perhaps we should try that again.”

Daniels laughed but leaned in to kiss him again nonetheless; this time it was longer, his mouth moving against hers and arms slipping around her waist – a _proper_ kiss. For a moment it was easy to forget everything else, her entire mind focused on him and his lips.

“Gross,” Jacob muttered, wrinkling his nose; beside him, his sister was giggling and pretending to cover her eyes.

Daniels was pink in the cheeks as she pulled away, a sheepish smile on her face; despite her slight embarrassment, she decided that the kiss was _well worth_ it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, before people complain, there’s nothing weird about kissing your daughter on the cheek. When I was little, I used to kiss my family members under the mistletoe – it’s a bit of fun!


	15. The Snowman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 days until Christmas Day!! That means, after this, ten more drabbles – it’s going fast! I’ve got special drabbles for the 24th and 25th, but if you want any other ideas then just let me know!  
> And, yes, the chapter title is a reference to Michael Fassbender’s film “The Snowman” ;) The drabble is a lot fluffier and less-serial-killer-y than that film, I promise!

To Daniels’ surprise, there were six or seven children outside of her cabin when she trekked home that afternoon; each of them were laughing and whooping in excitement as they ran around and gathered snow, bright pink in the face. There were three snowmen near the porch, their stick arms open in welcome and button eyes staring out. Nearby, Walter called them over and they flocked to him excitedly; she smiled at the sight as she drew nearer, despite the fact she was so cold that she had goose-bumps.

“Alright,” He started calmly, and the children all listened patiently. “We will need to roll three balls of snow – one large, one medium and one small. Joanna and Billy will make the small one, George and Andrew will make the medium one,” He directed, and the children he mentioned started to work. “Terrence, Isabelle and Lizzie, I will help you make the largest one.”

Daniels couldn’t help herself from watching curiously as they started to roll large spheres out of the snow, rolling it on the ground and making sure it was moist and packed; after a few minutes, the children had made the small and medium balls while Walter helped the other three make the largest one possible. He looked satisfied as he patted each of the balls, making sure that they were strong enough and weren’t going to fall apart, before straightening up.

“The medium ball will have to go on the largest ball,” He informed them. “And then the smallest one on top of that – it will be the head.”

“And then can we decorate it?” One of the girls asked eagerly.

He smiled. “Yes, then you can decorate it. George, Terrence, would you like to help me put it together?”

Two of the boys stepped forwards eagerly whilst the other children watched in fascination; with the synthetic’s help, the boys carefully manoeuvred the medium-sized ball of snow on top of the largest one before scooping up more snow to pack it between sections. Already, it was taller than any of the children, and they all looked excited.

“Now for the top section,” Walter announced, and he picked up the remaining ball himself. “When making snowmen, it is important to make sure that you pack snow between the sections so that nothing falls off – like this." He placed the small snowball on top of the other two before scooping snow from the ground and patting it into place carefully. “It helps it to stay together if you do this.”

“And now we can decorate, right?” A boy asked hopefully. “Please?”

The synthetic gave a nod. “Yes, now you may decorate. I will find a carrot in the greenhouse for you to use as the nose; for arms, sticks are commonly used and buttons or small rocks can be the eyes and mouth.”

As the children set off in various directions to find things to decorate their snowman with, Daniels grinned to herself and made her way over to Walter; he noticed her and smiled widely, moving across the snow to meet her halfway. She was amused to see that he had snow in his hair and all over his coat. “So, you’re building snowmen, huh?”

“I’ve been building them with the children all day,” He informed her. “They’ve been coming in small groups of five to seven all day; this is the fourth group who’ve wanted to build a snowman.” He gestured to the row of snowmen outside their cabin. “The children are all very pleased by their efforts.”

“They look good,” She agreed fondly. “I used to build them with my dad all the time – it’s been a while since I did it now, but it was always real fun. We used to put one of his scarves on our snowman because I thought he’d get cold.”

Walter tilted his head. “But they are not real _men_ – they’re made of snow.”

“I know,” She laughed, shaking her head. “But I was, like, six and I worried about our snowmen; I was always pretty disappointed when they melted. But yeah, they look great so far, Walter, really.”

“Thank you,” He said, seeming somewhat proud of himself. “Perhaps you’d like to join us, Danny?”

Daniels smiled, looking over his shoulder at the laughing children searching for sticks and stones before meeting his eyes again. “Nah, I don’t want to intrude – the kids probably want you all to themselves, and I’d just get in the way.”

Walter looked vaguely disappointed even as he nodded. “If you’re sure, Danny; you’re more than welcome to join us at any time. I don’t think you would be ‘in the way’.”

“That’s sweet, Walter,” She told him, reaching out and taking his hand; even through the material of both their gloves, she could feel his warmth being radiated. “Maybe later, when it’s just the two of us, we can build one together.”

“I like that idea,” He agreed, and his fingers squeezed hers tightly – not tightly enough to hurt, but just the right amount of pressure. “And then afterwards, I can help you get warm.”

Daniels grinned to herself, not really sure if he meant what she _thought_ he meant but amused nonetheless. “That sounds perfect, Walter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Walter is so adorable, he’s like a cinnamon roll :3
> 
> This chapter was really kind of short, but I’ve got a cold coming and I have work tomorrow so I wanted to hit the hay early, so to speak. Hope you enjoyed, nonetheless!


	16. First Family Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is set the very first Christmas after their son is born: Jacob’s date of birth is 5th December (which is coincidentally the date that the Covenant hit a Neutrino burst, just saying…) and this is going to be cute and fluffy! :3

Both of them had already been awake when the baby cried out that morning, and it was Walter who went to fetch him whilst Daniels was still attempting to overcome her grogginess – it immediately faded when her lover returned with their son in his arms, gurgling and squirming.

“Morning to you too,” She muttered with a grin, taking the baby and cradling him to herself.

“His diaper is not dirty,” Walter informed her, taking a seat on the bed beside her. “His cries indicate that he wanted attention – it didn’t appear to be one of hunger or discomfort.”

Perhaps it should have bothered her that he could differentiate the cries better than she could – so many colonists had told her it was “a mother’s gift” – but it didn’t; it actually made things a hell of a lot easier on her, if she was honest. She was sure she’d pick it up soon enough, but their son wasn’t even three weeks old yet – they had plenty of time with him.

“He doesn’t even realize it’s Christmas,” Daniels mused fondly, gently running her fingers over the soft downy hair on his head; Jacob wriggled slightly but didn’t make any noise. “First Christmas with him, and he’ll probably sleep through the day.”

“It’s still a special Christmas, even if he does sleep for most of it,” The synthetic said, and he was smiling widely. “Before it has merely been the two of us with Tennessee visiting – now we have a child, it is the first Christmas with a family.”

She looked at him, her grin widening. “Oh God, you’re gonna make me cry if you keep saying stuff like that…then again, that could be because of the hormones and exhaustion.”

“It’s normal for women to feel emotional after giving birth,” Walter assured her, rather matter-of-factly. “However, the emotions you’re feeling now are an improvement over how you were feeling immediately after the birth – that is also normal, according to several studies and books.”

Daniels couldn’t help but roll her eyes good-naturedly; he had read all of the pregnancy and childcare books in the colony library several times, despite having a perfect memory – she had skimmed some of them nervously when her doubts got the better of her, but other than that she hadn’t bothered. “Yeah, I know – I’m just glad I don’t feel like total shit anymore. I mean, I’m exhausted and my boobs hurt like hell…but I feel okay about it. _Happy_.”

He looked pleased by this statement. “I’m glad, Danny; I’m very happy too.”

She gave their son a quick feed (as Walter had predicted, he wasn’t too hungry) before finding the energy to haul herself out of bed; her lover took their son while she cleaned herself up, promising he would change Jacob’s diaper and clothe him for the day ahead. Daniels didn’t waste any time in the bathroom or getting dressed, throwing on the most comfortable clothes she could find before leaving the room; there was no rush, she knew, but it still seemed stupid to waste Christmas Day – the first where they were a family – on getting dressed.

Walter was waiting with Jacob by the stairs, and he smiled at her quite warmly. “I believe tradition is opening presents?”

“You know it is,” She huffed good-naturedly, grinning to herself.

Despite the fact their son had arrived just less than three weeks ago, they had still managed to make presents for him too – he was completely unaware, of course, and had no idea what a present or Christmas _was_ , but it seemed only right that he should get some things for his first Christmas. They settled on the floor close to the tree, Walter holding their son securely whilst Daniels opened the gifts he’d made or acquired for her and their son.

“You knitted me a sweater,” She chuckled fondly, holding it up to look at it in full. “Where did you learn to knit?”

“Some of the female members of the colony taught me,” He said, rather proudly. “I decided you would find a sweater useful since this winter has been the coldest recorded during our time on Origae-6 – and because you seem to have a habit of stealing my hoodies.”

Daniels looked amused but touched. “You can knit me all the sweaters you want, Walter, and I’ll love them – I love this one – but I’ll still steal your hoodies.”

The most touching gift was one Walter had made for their son; she looked stunned as she unwrapped a soft handmade bear – stitched perfectly across the bear’s tummy was Jacob’s name, much to her dismay. “You made this all by yourself?” When he nodded, she was amazed. “ _When_? When have you had the time to do this? We’ve been so busy since Jacob arrived, where did you find the time to do it?”

“When you were both asleep,” He stated, as though it were obvious. “I made the bear itself shortly after the six-month mark had passed, mostly while you slept or worked; when our son was born and we named him, I decided to add his name to make the gift more personal.” He looked somewhat anxious. “I hope it’s an acceptable gift – I’m sorry if it’s not to your liking.”

Daniels looked close to tears – joyful ones, he realized. “It’s _perfect_ , Walter. I love it, and I know Jacob will too.”

“I’m glad,” Walter said, and he smiled softly as he smoothed down the hair on their son’s head. “I love both of you more than I can express – you and Jacob are my family.”

“And you think you’re not romantic,” She laughed wetly, moving closer to him; careful not to jostle or disturb Jacob, she pressed her forehead against her lover’s and started to beam brightly. “I love you both too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the cheesiest fluff ever but, hey, that’s what Christmas is all about! :D  
> (Also, just want to add that ofc Walter makes things perfectly and of course he makes Maggie’s dolls for her – like rag dolls and stuff. Stay-at-home daddy Walter is the best daddy!)  
> (I need sleep lol)


	17. Ice-Skating II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits to Newtina1926 (izzypuppybutt on tumblr) for giving me this idea in one of our conversations – thank you for letting me use the idea in a drabble!
> 
> The basis of this prompt was when she was listening to “Fairy Dance” from the “Peter Pan” soundtrack and she said she could imagine Walter and Daniels ice-skating together to it. I’ve listened to the song whilst writing this drabble, and I highly recommend listening to it whilst reading it too! :3

It was a beautiful night when they stepped out of the cabin and made their way over towards the lake; it had frozen over in the beginning of December, and Walter had determined it was completely solid – perfectly safe to walk or skate on, he had told her. The stars shone bright above the couple as they stopped by the edge of the lake and tightened the laces on their skates – carefully crafted by Walter and tested to be certain that they were safe enough for use; there wasn’t a single soul in sight, human or animal, and a calm silence hung in the air.

Daniels was the first to step onto the ice, throwing him a grin over her shoulder as she pushed off and glided away; her lover watched with a smile before following after her, movements steady and balanced to stop him from falling. Tilting her head back to feel the light breeze against her skin, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the freedom of skating; there was no rush, no worries to trouble her out here on the ice, and she could remain at peace here – she could be herself, away from the colonists and the troubles of usual everyday life.

Walter watched her, fascinated, as he changed directions and passed her; she had been the one to teach him how to skate, though he had gotten the hang of it quickly enough thanks to his programming. She looked more relaxed when skating, he had noticed, as if whatever was bothering her had faded away – if only for a short time, at least.

Daniels smiled at him as she glided closer, their eyes meeting for a few seconds before they moved apart again; it was like a dance, their movements graceful as they swooped and skated together. It was an easy rhythm to fall into, one step after the other and almost in-sync with each other. The moonlight and stars above offered little light, and yet Walter couldn’t help but think to himself that she looked rather beautiful to him like this; not even the low light could hide how bright her eyes were, how alive her face had become, and he was sure to save a memory of what she looked like to his systems.

Neither of them spoke as they started to circle each other, gradually moving closer and closer to each other in the centre of the lake; it didn’t take long for them to meet, skidding slightly as they both halted. For a few seconds, neither of them moved, instead staring into the other’s eyes – brown meeting blue, studying each other’s faces intently.

Daniels was the one to reach out and take his hands in her gloved ones; her cheeks were bright pink, flushed from a mixture of skating, the cold, and being so close to him. “Skate with me.”

Walter merely smiled and gave a small nod of the head; he allowed her to lead him as she started to skate again slowly, their eyes never leaving each other as they drifted lazily across the ice. Slowly her movements started to pick up slightly more speed, though she was sure not to put too much distance between them as she squeezed his hands in her own. There was a calmness to it, comfortable and easy in a way that made her entire body warm at the thought – like nothing she’d experienced before.

He was unsurprised when she drifted to another halt, stopping with her and being careful not to skate into her; he was still somewhat taken aback by how aesthetically pleasing he thought she looked beneath the moon and stars, by how much fondness he found he had for her.

Daniels smiled then, her eyes filled only with affection and love – it was a look far different and superior to any that any of the colonists had given him, he decided. “I love you,” She said softly in a way that would have been inaudible to a human – his superior hearing heard it perfectly. “You know that?”

Walter couldn’t help himself from grinning back at her, shark-toothed but not frightening in any sense of the word. “I do know that. I also love you, Daniels.”

When she leaned forwards to kiss him, it was unhurried and gentle but with definite feeling behind it; he kissed her back immediately, arms wrapping around her to hold him close so that she would not lose her balance on the ice. There were no worries of someone seeing them, due to the late hour, but even if there had been they wouldn’t have particularly cared - not while they were together, embracing under the stars and holding tightly to one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who loves cheesey Christmas fluff? Because I sure as hell do. XD I'm going to go through my inbox now and respond to some of your comments - thank you guys so much for the love so far!


	18. Snowball Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More family fluff in the lead-up to Christmas? I think so! ;)   
> After this drabble, there’s only seven more drabbles left :O I’ve got two special ones planned for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, however, so that means I only have to come up with five more! It seems to have gone by so fast!
> 
> Anywho, I hope you enjoy!

Clad in their warmest winter coats, the family had left the cabin shortly after breakfast to play in the snow; immediately both Jacob and Maggie had started to build a snowman, and they were thrilled when their parents began helping them. The children were thrilled when Walter put the last section of their snowman on the top, hurrying to get twigs and stones to decorate it with; the synthetic even removed his scarf and draped it around what was supposed to be the neck, much to his children’s delight.

“He’s awesome!” Jacob exclaimed happily.

“He looks great,” Daniels agreed fondly, grinning to herself. “You guys got a name for him?”

Both children seemed to consider it before Maggie’s face lit up. “Frosty! His name should be Frosty, like in the story Daddy told us!”

‘Frosty’ was somewhat lopsided, eyes not quite straight and one arm shorter than the other, but that didn’t really matter – they loved it anyway. Now that their snowman was finished, the children set off running again and giggling; it was only when Jacob scooped up a handful of snow and threw it at his sister (missing her by mere inches) that they decided they wanted to have a real snowball fight.

“We should be on teams!” Maggie decided eagerly, pulling at their parents’ hands. “There are four of us, so we can be in twos!”

Jacob nodded excitedly. “Okay – you and Mommy against me and Daddy!”

And that was how Daniels ended up crouching behind the greenhouse, freezing her ass off while her daughter started to roll snowballs. Despite the fact it was cold, she couldn’t help but smirk to herself – Walter and Jacob wouldn’t know what hit them.

“We’re gonna win, Mommy,” Maggie said importantly. “You attack Daddy, and I’ll get Jacob – you can help once Daddy surrenders.”

It was against Walter’s programming to hurt humans, and while hitting people with snowballs didn’t exactly classify as “hurting” people, she knew he would still be wary of doing it just in case – which made him the perfect target. Daniels nodded in agreement, crouching down to pick up a few snowballs. “We got this, Maggie – let’s get them.”

Meanwhile, Walter and Jacob had taken refuge a short distance away behind the shed. The two had come up with their own plans on how to win, carefully mapping out each action they would take – they would use strategy to win, surprising their opponents and gaining the upper hand.

“Maggie can’t throw very far because she’s little,” Jacob muttered, packing together some snow into a ball shape. “I can hit her before she gets close enough to hit me, and then maybe she’ll surrender – and then it’s just Mommy. Can you handle Mommy?”

“I think so,” Walter affirmed, considering the various possibilities. “Your mother is stubborn, and so it will take a great effort to make her surrender; her reflexes are sharper too, but I believe I can distract her and catch her by surprise.”

His son nodded. “Exactly! We got this, Daddy – let’s get them!”

Slowly, so as to not attract attention, the synthetic moved his head to look around the side of the shed – only for a large snowball to miss him by two inches. He pulled back hurriedly, looking to Jacob and gesturing. “We’re being ambushed, it seems.”

“Shoot,” Jacob huffed, and he lifted his snowballs into his arms. “Come on, Daddy, we can’t let them win!”

Rolling his own snowball, Walter stepped out from behind the shed and noticed Daniels and Maggie approaching fast; his lover was smirking triumphantly, clutching a snowball in hand. “You’re not going to win, boys!”

And suddenly it was chaotic; snowballs were being thrown in all directions as everyone started to run, ducking and weaving to avoid being hit. Maggie squealed as a snowball hit her in the back before throwing her own at her brother; it hit him in the shoulder, making him shiver slightly as he ducked down to make another projectile.

Walter felt something cold hit against the back of his head and merely smiled; he wasn’t able to feel the effects of the cold like a human, which was a huge advantage in this case. When he turned, he noticed Daniels preparing another snowball and grinning widely. “You’re going down.”

When she threw it his way, he deflected it with his arm; she frowned in response, rather perplexed – he just smiled, showing off his teeth. “Your reflexes are adequate, Danny – but not superior to my own.” He bent down to gather some snow, moulding it into a ball as he watched her. “I won’t throw it hard enough to hurt, of course – but I’m sure you’ll feel the cold far worse than I can.”

“Wait, Walter-”

She only barely managed to deflect it, crossing her arms over her face to prevent it from hitting its intended target. Walter looked rather pleased with himself when she cast a glance over at him, and she felt a competitive spark light within her.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” Daniels teased, quickly making another snowball. “No one has ever beaten me in a snowball fight – _no one_.”

Walter merely smiled calmly. “I think you’ll find, Danny, that I’m harder to beat than the average human – I excel in all areas, capable of any task put to me. This is no exception.”

“Yeah? We’ll see about that!”

In the end, it was hard to tell which team won the snowball fight; all of them were covered in melting snow, flakes of it in their hair and on their clothes – having said that, the fact that all of them were shivering and tired except for Walter made it clear who the overall champion was. He looked only slightly smug as they made their way back to the cabin, helping the children trek through the snow; when he glanced over at Daniels, she rolled her eyes but smiled.

“You won this round,” She muttered good-naturedly. “But just wait – I’ll kick your ass next time.”

“If you say so, Daniels,” Walter said fondly, linking their fingers together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baha, Daniels was totally the snowball fight champion back on Earth – and then she met Walter and got her metaphorical crown taken away :’)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	19. Interruption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight-NSFW but it gets interrupted before it gets good ;)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

It was three minutes past six that morning when Daniels started to wake, groggily reaching out for her lover in the dark and mumbling unintelligibly; Walter merely smiled fondly, putting a hand on her back and watching as she stirred from her slumber. “Morning, Danny.”

She groaned, squinting up at him. “Still dark…not morning, too dark…” She yawned, burying her face into his side. “The kids up?”

“No,” He informed her. “I must admit, I am somewhat surprised that they’re not up yet as usually they are up around this time on Christmas morning. We could wake them?”

“Don’t,” She muttered sleepily. “Let them sleep – it’ll be crazy when they get up, all those presents and stuff… Plus, if we let stay in bed then we get time _alone_.”

She had definitely started to wake up, Walter mused; her hand had started to slide down to palm at his groin through his trousers, and he stirred at the feeling. “That is true; it is decidedly difficult to have intimacy with two children in the house.”

“Uh-huh,” She agreed, suddenly leaning to press lazy kisses to his face. “We should make the most of them being asleep, shouldn’t we? Have a little… _Christmas fun_ of our own.”

“That does sound enjoyable,” He told her, fingers drifting over her hip; he pushed up the bottom of the t-shirt she had worn to bed, feeling the soft skin beneath. “However, given that it is Christmas, there is no telling how long it will be before the children wake up.”

“Yeah,” Daniels murmured huskily, reaching to push down his pants. “Which is why we should get started right now.”

When she put it like that, it made perfect sense; with a grin, Walter started to kiss her as he pulled at her own clothes. It didn’t take long for him to remove the bottoms she had worn to bed, and once this was done, he rolled them over so he was on top.

“Like this?”

She chuckled, legs falling open so that he could fit between them. “ _Perfect._ ”

He pressed open-mouthed kisses to her collarbone and throat, slowly running his hands over her body to make sure she was ‘warmed up’, as humans often referred to it; the way she responded to every touch made it clear she was more than ready and eager, a fact which pleased him immensely. For now, all thoughts of the children were driven from his mind – his focus was on his lover, and only her.

“Walter, come on,” She panted, fisting his hair in her hand. “Stop teasing!”

He grinned, giving her one last kiss before sitting back to grip himself in hand; without further ado, he moved into position, so close that he could feel the warmth of her body, open and inviting to him-

The door burst open and two small figures ran in, beaming with excitement as they made their way over to the bed.

“MOMMY! DADDY!”

“CHRISTMAS! IT'S CHRISTMAS!”

Walter hurriedly pulled away from his lover, moving so that he was underneath the duvet on the other side of the bed. Daniels was bright red in the face as she sat up, hiding her own naked bottom-half with the blankets and avoiding looking at the synthetic. “Right…Christmas…”

Jacob had clambered up onto the bed first, and he looked perplexed. “Are you okay, Mommy?”

“Yep, fine,” She said quickly – far too quickly. “Absolutely fine.”

“You’re red like a lobster,” Maggie pointed out, equally confused. “Are you feeling hot, Mommy? I’m not hot, I’m actually really cold.”

“Yeah, hot,” Daniels agreed weakly. “Real hot. Too many blankets.”

Both children looked unconvinced as they glanced at their parents, frowning in puzzlement. Walter managed a pleasant smile after a moment, nonchalant almost. “Well, it’s Christmas – I think we should go downstairs and see what Santa brought for you.”

Maggie looked thrilled, already going to hop off the bed; Jacob, however, frowned in confusion. “Mommy, Daddy? Why are your trousers on the floor?”

Daniels resisted the urge to groan, wanting to sink beneath the sheets and never come out; Walter merely tilted his head and considered what answer was best to give. “We were both warm,” He said finally, even when their son looked suspicious. “It was cooler in bed without trousers. Perhaps you could pass them to us so we can dress before going downstairs?”

Even once she had put her trousers back on, Daniels was certain she was going to die of embarrassment: the children were soon distracted by presents and toys, sure, but she was certain that one of them (Maggie, most likely) was going to inform Tennessee of what happened that morning – and there was no doubts, whatsoever, that he was going to tease the _shit_ out of her about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL, the kids aren’t scarred for life, don’t worry – they didn’t see any action, no shirts were off, but pants were :’) In the future they’ll remember and be like “wtf mom and dad, that’s so gross!” but for now they’re not scarred!
> 
> (I need sleep)


	20. What to get a Synthetic for Christmas?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Newtina1926! :3

“Walter, there has to be _something_ you want for Christmas…”

“I cannot ‘want’ things, Daniels,” Walter reminded her, tilting his head. “To want is a human capability – and I am not a human.”

Daniels was flabbergasted. “But…But is there _nothing_ I can make you? Maybe I can just get you a small something from one of the colonist’s stores? I can’t just give you nothing.”

“I don’t desire any presents for Christmas,” He told her, smiling politely. “I am appreciative of the gesture, but it is wasted on myself. I am more than content to just spend the day with you, learning about certain traditions – perhaps we could invite Tennessee over.”

“Yeah, and we’ll do those things,” She agreed dismissively. “But a tradition is _exchanging_ gifts, and it doesn’t count if it’s just you giving stuff – isn’t there _one_ thing, at least…?”

He tilted his head. “No, there’s nothing. Do not stress yourself over this, Daniels: I will not be offended by the fact I won’t receive gifts. I am just grateful for what I do have, considering that I was meant for decommissioning upon arrival at Origae-6.”

The conversation had gotten her nowhere; no matter what she said or did to persuade him, he insisted that he didn’t want or need anything. It didn’t seem fair that he had openly informed her that he had made her some gifts, and yet she had nothing to give him; Christmas was about giving, and he was making it hard for her to do that.

It was for this reason that Daniels knew she’d just have to attempt to surprise him – she wasn’t about to let him spend his first Christmas with no presents, no matter what he said. Of course, shopping for men had never been easy – even when she’d celebrated with Jake, she’d been lost on what to buy him – and it was a struggle to come up with something that he might like. She could have asked Tennessee for advice, she knew, but she highly doubted that what Tennessee enjoyed receiving for Christmas would be suitable for Walter to receive too; the two were extremely different, for one, and while she knew Walter would accept whatever she came up with, it was only fair that it might be something he actually _would_ enjoy to some degree.

“What do you think Walter likes?” She asked conversationally a few evenings later when she met up for a drink with Tennessee.

He grinned into his beer. “He likes you.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Daniels retorted, rolling her eyes; she ignored the fact that her cheeks were pink. “I meant like…hobbies and stuff. I have no idea what to get him for Christmas – and beer isn’t an option,” She added at her friend’s look.

“Hell, I dunno,” Tennessee muttered, shaking his head. “I always used to get my old man some boxers or aftershave – never fails.”

She sighed, looking down at her own drink in despair. “He doesn’t shave, for a start, and I wanted to get him something a little more…special. It’s his first Christmas, and he deserves to have the best damn one possible.”

“He likes his plants,” Tennessee stated with a shrug. “Always tending to the things in the colony’s greenhouse. Old Jerry had to kick him out last week because he spent _hours_ in there looking over the flowers."

“Sounds like him.” But as she smiled to herself fondly and reached for her beer, a thought occurred to her. “Wait… We’ve got a greenhouse outside the cabin. Well, it was going to be a greenhouse, but I never bothered using it. Maybe…”

Before her friend could say anything, she had bolted from her seat and set off for the door to the bar. “Danny? What the fuck’s happening?”

“I’ll talk later, Tee,” Daniels called, not even looking back. “I’ve got some work to do!”

* * *

 

Walter had been surprised when Daniels handed him a few rectangular shaped parcels on Christmas morning, perplexed by her generosity even before he opened them. “Danny-”

“Yeah, yeah, I didn’t have to,” She chuckled. “Just open them.”

They were books – he had assumed so, based on their shape and weight – on gardening and plants; she must have gotten them from one of the colonists, he decided. He smiled as he finished examining them, more pleased than he could put into words. “Thank you, Daniels. You’re very kind-”

“You’ve got another gift,” Daniels interrupted, standing up and holding out her hands to him; when he hesitantly stood and took one, she grinned and began to lead him towards the door of the cabin. “It’s outside; you’ll be able to see it from the porch, and then once we’re both dressed we can look at it properly.”

This confused him more than anything; Christmas presents were supposed to be under the tree, he had learnt, so why was one outside? The only logical reason was that it was too big, but he couldn’t think what she would buy him of such a size.

Throwing the door open, she dragged him out onto the porch and halted by the steps. “Your gift is out there.”

Walter scanned the area, frowning to himself. “I don’t understand; I don’t see anything unusual or new outside.”

“Because it’s been there a while,” Daniels informed him, now turning to look at him; her eyes were shining. “You see the greenhouse?” She waited for him to nod. “That’s it. That’s your present – that’s why I got you the books.”

He wasn’t capable of being shocked, but he couldn’t deny that he was extremely surprised as he looked at her. “Your gift to me is the greenhouse?” She nodded. “But it’s your greenhouse.”

“Not anymore,” She disagreed brightly. “I’m gonna be honest, Walter, I don’t even use it and I probably won’t _ever_ use it – but I know you will. You love plants, right? I’ve seen you looking after the plants in the colony greenhouses and being so gentle with them, looking after them, so I figured you might like your own space to grow plants in…you know, without other people getting in the way or telling you what to do. You can grow what you want, when you want.” She started to gnaw on her lip now, slightly anxious. “I didn’t know what to get you, and you were being so damn stubborn… If you don’t want the greenhouse, then you don’t have to take it, I just thought-”

“I love it, Danny,” Walter informed her, and he sounded genuinely touched. “You’re right, I do enjoy tending to plants and flowers – it’s a very peaceful pastime, I’ve found, and I like to see things grow. If you’re sure you would like me to have the greenhouse, then I would be honoured to accept it.”

Daniels laughed quietly, wrapping her arms around him; he hesitated for a second before returning the embrace, arms warm around her. “I want you to have it – that’s why I’m giving it to you. Merry Christmas, Walter.”

Pressed into her, he smiled to himself contently. “Merry Christmas, Danny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daniels giving Walter a frickin’ greenhouse though :’) <3 Hope you enjoyed!


	21. Hot Chocolate by the Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re so close to Christmas, and to the end of this drabble series! Thank you guys so much for reading it so far – I really appreciate it!
> 
> This is super short but I’m running low on ideas (and I got really emotional because I played the last episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm with my best friend and it broke my heart) – I hope you enjoy anyway!

After a long day hard at work, nothing was more satisfying than sitting by the fireplace all snuggled up with someone she loved, relaxed and resting; the only thing that made it better was doing it during the winter, when it meant warm blankets and hot drinks.

Walter was smiling as he handed her a mug that December evening, steam rising out of it. “I made you some hot chocolate,” He informed her. “The way you liked it.”

“You’re amazing,” Daniels muttered with a grin, taking the drink eagerly. “Don’t you want any?”

“As much as I appreciate the offer,” He said, sitting down beside her. “I would not be able to enjoy it the way you do – it would not provide any nourishment for me either, so to waste ingredients making a drink for myself would be unwise.”

To her delight, the colonists had discovered a way of making marshmallows on Origae-6 – and Walter had learnt the recipe for it immediately, of course, upon learning that she occasionally liked one or two in her hot chocolate. Two were bobbing at the top of her drink that evening, and the effort he had put into making her happy made her heart grow warm.

“It seems like you’ve had a long day,” He said conversationally, watching as she took a sip of her drink. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Daniels made herself comfortable, leaning against his side whilst being careful not to spill her drink. “It’s nothing, I’m just tired… It’s only a few days until Christmas, though, so that’s something. How about your day?”

“Uneventful,” He told her, and he put an arm around her. “There was nothing out of the ordinary – though several children were playing in the greenhouses this afternoon, which made things decidedly difficult.”

“Kids getting under foot, huh?” She chuckled. “Admit it, you like it when the kids all come to visit you at work.”

Walter smiled then, and the answer was obvious. “It’s very kind of them to visit, yes, and I must admit that I do find their games interesting – they have such imaginations, something that I am uncapable of having myself, and it’s entertaining to watch them playing their games or pretending. So, yes, I do like their visits.”

“Not as much as my visits though,” She teased fondly, taking a marshmallow from her hot chocolate and popping it in her mouth.

“Your visits are the best ones, yes,” He agreed seriously. “But I believe that I enjoy yours the most because we are in a relationship and are intimate together.”

Despite herself, her cheeks went pink as she laughed quietly. “So romantic, Walter…”

“It’s the truth,” He insisted. “I enjoy interacting with all of the colonists, and I care for each of them because I want the colony to thrive, but I do not _love_ any of them in the sense that I love you – and that’s why your visits are the best ones.”

Perhaps it was just the hot drink, or maybe it really was his words, but either way Daniels found a pleasantly warm feeling spread through her. “Yeah, I love you too, Walter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to say, you can actually make homemade marshmallows; there’s a bunch of ingredients like gelatin and corn starch and shit, but it’s possible. Besides, for the purpose of this, let’s just say the colonists do make marshmallows ;)
> 
> I’m not even sure what the point of this drabble was frankly :’)


	22. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for this. This made me sadder than I should have been.
> 
> Anywho, enjoy!

“Careful, Daniels – there’s two steps up onto the porch, and then-”

“And then there’s the door,” Daniels finished good-naturedly, the hand not holding his arm waving dismissively. “I know how to climb the steps to our daughter’s house, Walter – I’m not that old!”

Walter smiled as he helped her up the steps, though she knew he was still worried. “I’m just being cautious, Danny; you’re nearing your sixty-fifth birthday, and I know that humans are less able as they get older. I just want you to be safe.”

“I appreciate it,” She said fondly, still holding onto his arm – out of affection, not out of a need to stay upright. “But I’m still kicking it. Don’t work yourself up over it.”

Maggie was already waiting at the door for them, smiling widely as she stepped out into the cool December air to embrace them both; just seconds later, a small head peered around the doorframe and watched, eyes wide. “Thanks for coming, guys – the kids have been driving me nuts all day wondering when you’d get here. I was so close to just telling them that Santa wouldn’t come if they kept it up!”

“Your Uncle Tennessee rubbed off on you,” Daniels chuckled, hugging their daughter back. “We’d have got here a lot sooner, if it weren’t for your dad panicking every few steps.”

“It wasn’t every few steps,” Walter disagreed, perfectly serious. “More like every thirteen steps, on average.”

Maggie laughed, pressing a kiss to her father’s cheek. “You’re both incorrigible! Well, come in – Jacob’s helping Charlie with the dinner, but I don’t trust the two of them in the kitchen – even if Rachel _is_ helping them…the kids are going to be so excited you’re here!”

Just as they were reaching the entrance to the house, the small figure who had been watching suddenly stepped out, face bright and eyes shining. “Nana! Grandpa!”

Daniels was chuckling again as their granddaughter threw her arms around her, and she ruffled the girl’s hair fondly. “Hello to you too, Clara – just me, or are you getting taller?”

“Daddy measured me last week,” Clara informed her, now moving to hug the synthetic. “He says I grew two inches since the last time he measured it – hopefully one day I’ll be as tall as you, Nana! Grandpa, you have to come and see what I drew for you – I did it all by myself without _any_ help!”

“Alright, let them inside first,” Maggie muttered fondly, shaking her head but grinning all the same. Clara went pink, but beamed and took her grandmother’s hand to lead her into the house. “We don’t want to freeze out here, do we?”

Inside the house, it had been decorated spectacularly; the tree had been covered with several different types of decorations, including a golden star at the top and several strings of multi-coloured lights. Tinsel and lights adorned the photographs on the wall, and a few sprigs of various plants were used as replacement for mistletoe and holly – to add, it smelt like Christmas dinner had been started, and it smelt _delicious_.

Three children – two boys and a girl – had been playing on the floor by the fire, and when the door shut they looked up; immediately their faces lit up, and they all hurriedly stood to greet Walter and Daniels eagerly.

“You finally got here!” The younger of the boys exclaimed, embracing Walter around the waist and hugging him tightly. “I missed you, Grandpa – and Nana, of course!”

“We have both missed you too,” Walter said, smiling and showing off his teeth as the other two grandchildren greeted them with kisses and hugs. “You’re all taller than before – at this rate, it is likely you might be taller than us one day.”

The oldest girl, Lucy, beamed in delight. “I’m tallest in my class, Nana – Mom says I might be as tall as you someday!”

“Are you going to tell us any stories, Grandpa?” The older of the boys, Peter, begged. “Your stories are the best!”

“If you want, I will definitely tell you some stories,” Walter agreed, and all of the children looked thrilled by this promise. “Perhaps I’ll tell you some to help you sleep – Santa doesn’t come until children are asleep.”

It didn’t take long for them to make themselves at home in their daughter’s house, surrounded by their grandchildren and enjoying the warmth of the fire; the children chattered excitedly about Christmas, specifically Santa and presents, as well as how much fun they had had in the snow that week. Jacob and his wife, Rachel, appeared after half an hour to greet them, seeming happy and genuinely pleased as they accepted warm hugs.

“We’ve been helping Mags and Charlie in the kitchen,” Jacob stated with a grin.

“ _I_ ’ve been helping them in the kitchen,” Rachel corrected good-naturedly, rolling her eyes. “ _You_ ’ve been getting in the way.” She looked at her mother-in-law, smiling fondly. “He nearly burnt the turkey.”

Daniels laughed, amused as she pulled the younger woman into a hug. “Sounds like him – his cookies were always the burnt ones at Christmas when he was little.”

“Figures. Not that I’m any better – my sister did all the baking when we were kids.” She turned to her father-in-law to embrace him, a tight squeeze. “I think you might need to rescue the dinner at some point, Walter; the rate we’re going, everything’s going to be charcoal by tomorrow.”

“I’d be more than happy to help,” Walter agreed genuinely. “I’ve cooked many Christmas dinners in the past – Danny cannot really cook.”

“I can cook!” She huffed half-heartedly. “I mean…pasta, and stuff. That’s kind of cooking.”

The children were sent up to bed a couple of hours later, all excited and cheerful at the prospect of waking up to find Christmas presents in the morning – of course, this meant it was difficult for them to sleep. Walter was the one who tucked each of them into their beds and told them stories that evening, starting with the girls’ room. It didn’t take long for Lucy and Clara to doze off, listening to his calming voice, and so he went to the room that Peter was sharing with Klaus; the younger of the boys had already settled into bed, waiting, whilst his cousin was sat on the floor playing with toy cars.

“Can’t we stay up to see Santa?” Peter asked, stifling a yawn as his grandfather gently urged him into bed. “I’ve been _really_ good this year.”

“I’m afraid not,” Walter said gently, pulling the covers over the boy. “It’s a well-known fact that Santa only comes when children are sleeping. I’m sure he’ll come soon enough, don’t worry.”

The boys were a little harder to coax into sleep, excitable as they were, but eventually they succumbed to sleep as Walter’s calm and smooth voice told them stories of adventures and unexplored lands. Once he was sure that they were really asleep, he smiled to himself and quietly left the room, closing the door over behind him.

Daniels was on the couch downstairs, talking to their son-in-law and laughing as he recounted an experience he had had recently with one of the native creatures on Origae-6. Walter sat down beside his lover and started to listen too – any mention of the creatures indigenous to the planet was of great interest to him, and he liked to document every piece of data he could on them.

“…It was this _huge_ lizard thing,” Charlie had started to say, gesturing with his hands; Walter noticed that he had a bandage on his right arm. “Biggest lizard I’ve ever seen – much bigger than what the books about the lizards on Earth say! It was on its own, just wandering about, so I decided to get up close to it – I thought I could get a closer look without scaring it.”

“Didn’t quite go according to plan?” Daniels asked, somewhat teasingly; the synthetic noticed that she was drinking a bottle of beer, and he smiled – some things never changed.

He shrugged. “Well, I wouldn’t say that…I still got close to it, but-”

“But it turned around and took a big chunk out of his arm,” Maggie finished as she walked into the room, clearly having overheard their discussion. “Bit him and ran off – he was bleeding all over the place.”

Their son-in-law had the grace to go pink in the cheeks. “Err, yeah. I thought I was in its blind spot but, as it turns out…not quite. Thankfully, I managed to get to a doctor pretty quickly and they stitched me up; they said I was lucky since the lizard could have been poisonous, but there didn’t appear to be any of that kind of stuff in the wound.”

“That must have hurt like a bitch,” Daniels muttered, shaking her head. “I guess that’s what the bandage is for, huh?”

“Yeah. Doctors said it should be healed by the New Year, but to keep an eye on it.”

“You’re an idiot,” Maggie said, giving him a half-hearted glare. “You had me panicking when I came to see you – next time, don’t attempt to touch lizards that you don’t know anything about.”

Charlie looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Mags, really. But that’s my job – I’m a researcher, a wildlife enthusiast. Hardly anyone seems to have taken the effort to document _anything_ about the other lifeforms on this planet, and it’s something we really should be doing.”

“You’re still an idiot,” She huffed, but there was no venom behind it as she allowed him to put an arm around her.

As the two bantered, Daniels leaned against her lover, looking rather relaxed. “It’s not Christmas without some good old ribbing,” She joked under her breath to him. “Take it the kids went to sleep?”

“Not a sound from them,” He informed her. “They’re all very excited about tomorrow.”

“Thought so. I’m glad – it’s fun to see them get so happy about Christmas,” She mused, looking down at her bottle of beer and then at the fire. “Makes _me_ feel like a little kid again, you know? All that pretending about Santa, the presents… I like Christmas more and more every year.”

Looking across the room at their daughter and son-in-law, and then thinking of their son, their son’s wife and their grandchildren, Walter couldn’t help but smile to himself contently. “I think I do too, Danny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of happy but kind of sad like what am I even doing anymore
> 
> Also, I apologize for the names?? I was so stuck on what to name the grandkids but then I decided that Jacob and Maggie would have grown up being read to by Walter, so perhaps their own children have names from books or stories? Jacob’s wife is named after a character in a video-game, and Maggie’s husband is named after a character from a TV show.
> 
> Brownie points for whoever can name what books/stories/show/game the names of each new character might come from! ;)
> 
> Just to clarify:  
> Maggie’s husband – Charlie  
> Jacob’s wife – Rachel  
> Clara – Maggie’s daughter, the youngest of the grandkids  
> Klaus – Jacob’s son, second youngest  
> Peter – Maggie’s son, second oldest of grandkids  
> Lucy – Maggie’s daughter, oldest of the grandkids
> 
> (Also, I’ll probably end up writing about Jacob and Maggie growing up/getting married and stuff at some point, but for now I hope you enjoyed this cosy little drabble!)


	23. Christmas Karaoke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this drabble is late, I was out with my family and neighbors (also I was watching HP for a long time on the TV lol)  
> This is based on what happened when I went out with my family to the pub tonight – enjoy!

“Of all the things you had to figure out how to bring from Earth, you brought karaoke.”

Tennessee shrugged, grinning at her. “Karaoke is fucking awesome – remember how we used to have a good time at all those country bars back on Earth? Now we can do that here!”

“I’m not singing in front of all these people,” Daniels muttered, gesturing at the other people in the bar. “At least, not sober – once I’m pissed, maybe I’ll think about it.”

“Right. First drinks are on me,” He chuckled, standing from his seat at their table. “Start thinking about a karaoke song – make it something Christmas-y, seeing as it’s two days away… Hey, Walter.”

Walter smiled politely at the two humans as he approached the table. “Hello, Tennessee,” He greeted politely. “I’m sorry I’m six minutes late – I had not finished watering all of the plants in Greenhouse-8, and-”

“You don’t need to apologize, man,” Tennessee interrupted good-naturedly, giving him a clap on the shoulder. “I’m about to get drinks – what’s your poison?” When the synthetic looked confused, he elaborated. “Booze. You want a beer or something?”

“Oh. No, thank you,” He said, obviously somewhat surprised to have been asked. “Alcohol doesn’t affect me like it does humans, so I feel it would be a waste.”

“Don’t say that,” Daniels huffed. “You should have a drink if you want one – drinking together is a bonding experience.”

Tennessee nodded in agreement. “The best kinda bonding.”

“Well…in that case, then I will have whatever you’re having,” The synthetic agreed, and it was obvious that he was pleased to be included as he sat down beside Daniels. “Thank you, Tennessee.”

As their friend went up to the bar, Daniels grinned at him and took his hand. “Tee’s somehow managed to get a karaoke area set up; one of the colonists knows how to work the equipment, so there’s probably going to be a _lot_ of out-of-tune singing in here.”

“Most of the colonists cannot sing,” He stated, rather matter-of-fact. “And yet they insist on singing anyway. It’s…puzzling, I will admit.”

“Yeah,” She chuckled. “Worst part is, I know I’m going to get roped into it – it’s all in good fun, I guess. Try not to judge too harshly.”

“I’ll keep my opinion to myself on your singing,” Walter told her seriously.

She snorted at this, leaning against his side as he proceeded to look perplexed by her amusement.

* * *

 

At some point around half-past-ten, Tennessee had succeeded in getting Daniels drunk enough to agree to sing karaoke; Walter merely watched from the side, smiling in amusement as the two of them belted out the lyrics to a popular Christmas song from Earth. The sight of her singing a song that was titled “All I Want for Christmas is You” and pointing at him on the “you” was enough to make a feeling of fondness for her run through him.  

After they had finished their song and two other colonists took their places, Daniels threw her arm around her lover and pressed a kiss to his cheek; such open signs of affection confirmed that she was indeed _very_ intoxicated. “You’re so cute,” She murmured.

“Thank you. I think you are ‘cute’ too.”

“Your butt is awesome,” She giggled – she was _definitely_ drunk. “For real, I _love_ your butt.”

Walter merely smiled, although he wasn’t quite sure on how to respond. “I see. Well, if it helps, I believe you have a nice rear end too.”

“You should sing karaoke too, Walter,” Tennessee proclaimed, coming up to the two of them – he was faring only slightly better than Daniels, still stumbling and slurring somewhat. “You and Danny; that’s something I’d love to see.”

“He sings to his plants,” Daniels stated, burying her face into the synthetic’s shoulder. “I heard him. Come on, Walter – come and sing with me.”

Walter hesitated. “I’m not sure that is a good idea. I do not know very many songs – only what I hear the colonists singing – and I am incapable of perfect tune or rhythm unless I hear it and repeat it-”

“It’s karaoke,” Tennessee deadpanned. “It’s supposed to be shit.”

He was still unsure when his lover started to pull at him, looking up at him with wide eyes. “ _Please_ , Walter – do it for me!”

“Alright,” He said immediately. “I’ll do it for you, Danny.”

As he and Daniels approached the colonist in charge of the karaoke machine, Walter was sure he heard Tennessee mutter something that sounded suspiciously like, “pussy-whipped”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s short and a bit incomplete, I know, but I’m tired and I have work tomorrow morning so I’m hurrying to get this up!  
> I hope you enjoyed anyway! :)


	24. Christmas Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas Eve! I hope you all have a happy holiday!

Bathed and clad in pyjamas, Jacob and Maggie had settled by the fire to chatter as they waited for their parents that Christmas Eve; cookies had been made, carrots harvested for the reindeer, and a bottle of their Uncle Tennessee’s favourite beer chilling in the fridge for Santa. Daniels had hurriedly showered, towelling her hair dry before returning downstairs; she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the children, waiting expectantly by the fire and excited for Christmas. All day, the two had been hyperactive, and so their parents had played with them outside all day in the hopes of tiring them out so that they would sleep through the night – the last thing they wanted was to be woken up and called out of bed at five in the morning to open presents.

“You guys excited?” Daniels asked, smiling as she gave Jacob’s hair a ruffle and sat beside him.

Maggie was practically bouncing in her seat as she beamed. “Uh-huh! Santa’s coming tonight, and he brings presents to all the good children – and Daddy said I’ve been very good, so I hope I get presents!”

“I’m sure Santa will leave some presents for both of you,” Their mother said fondly. “He always does, and I think your dad is right – you’ve been pretty good this year. Definitely on the Nice List.”

“How come Santa only leaves presents when you’re asleep?” Jacob asked innocently. “How does anyone know he exists if everyone has to be asleep when he comes?”

Daniels just grinned. “Well, who else is going to leave that many presents under the tree? Besides, I saw Santa when I was a kid.”

“You did?!” Maggie questioned, leaning forward in her seat and looking at her mother in awe. “How? When? What was he like?”

“Not up close,” She explained seriously. “I was in bed and woke up; I looked out the window and saw Santa in his sleigh flying across the sky. You know how I know it was him?” Neither child spoke, hanging onto her every word. “No one else can make a sledge fly, for one thing, and it was pulled by seven reindeer.”

“It _was_ him!” Maggie exclaimed.

Jacob’s mouth had fallen open. “That’s amazing, Mommy! Do you think _we_ ’ll ever see him?”

“Maybe,” Daniels chuckled. “I wouldn’t go looking for him though – usually if you’re looking for something, you never find it. The same goes for Santa.”

Walter joined them shortly afterwards, holding a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate; he handed them out to each of his family members, smiling when they looked delighted by the small marshmallows decorating the top. Once they were all settled with their drinks, he joined them on the couch and immediately allowed Maggie to press herself into his side.

“Story-time,” She mumbled hopefully, taking a sip of her drink. “Please, Daddy?”

“Alright. What story would you like?”

Jacob looked up; some of the hot chocolate had smeared on his upper lip, making it look like he had a moustache. “A Christmas one. I like the one you told us about Rudolph and his nose.”

“I like that one too,” Maggie agreed, relaxing against the synthetic. “Can you please tell us it, Daddy?”

Walter nodded and smiled at them before starting to recount the story; he had memorised it after reading it at one of the schools in the colony, and it had certainly become useful in the past several years since the children had been born. It didn’t take long for both children to fall under his spell, enchanted by his calm and soothing voice as he spoke.

By the time the story had finished, it was starting to get late; Daniels stretched out on the couch before giving the children knowing smiles. “Alright, I think it’s time you two got to bed – Santa can’t come until you’re asleep.”

“But you have to go to bed too,” Jacob argued weakly, rubbing his eyes. “He won’t come until you’re both asleep too.”

“I know,” She chuckled, helping him stand. “We’ll be going to bed soon – but we’ve gotta finish a few things and make sure you’re asleep first.”

Maggie was struggling to stay awake as Walter carried her to bed, though she was trying valiantly; she said nothing as her father tucked her underneath the sheets and kissed her goodnight, just murmuring and nodding her head. She was out cold before he even left the room, dreaming about reindeer and men in red coats.

Jacob was a little harder to coax into sleep, complaining sleepily that he was older and so should have been able to stay up later. He climbed into bed without question, however, pressing a small kiss to his mother and father’s cheeks before burying himself underneath the covers. Walter stayed with him until he was sure that the boy was asleep, and then silently left the room.

Downstairs, Daniels had already started setting out Christmas presents, laying them beneath the tree. “Damn wrapping paper is shit,” She muttered, scowling when she noticed a corner of the wrapping paper on a rectangular package sticking out. “Last time I use Tennessee’s paper…”

“Let me help,” Walter offered, kneeling beside her and helping her to arrange the presents. Most of them were for their children, of course, though a few _were_ addressed to one of them or Tennessee – presents the adults had gotten each other, small things mostly.

“I hate Christmas,” Daniels huffed half-heartedly.

Walter smiled, tilting his head. “No, you don’t. I know for a fact that you greatly enjoy Christmas – even more so now with our children to celebrate with.”

“Alright, you got me,” She admitted, grinning at him. “But trying to keep all this stuff hidden each year is so damn difficult – remember that year when Tennessee thought it would be a great idea to build a plastic tractor for the kids? Trying to hide that was a bitch.”

“It was difficult,” He agreed, somewhat amused by the memory. “But the children enjoyed it, which seems to be the most important thing.”

“That’s the only reason I’m doing this,” She said dryly. “If it didn’t make them so happy, I sure as hell wouldn’t be doing it every year.”

The synthetic didn’t even look up from the pile of presents he was arranging, though he looked vaguely smug. “Of course not, Danny – you don’t enjoy making up stories of seeing Santa outside your window, or seeing how excited the children are when they see presents.”

“I was actually telling the truth,” She laughed good-naturedly. “Well, kind of. When I was little, I _thought_ I saw Santa and his sleigh outside my window – I don’t know what the hell was flying across the sky to make me think that, but for years I was convinced that that was what I saw.”

“Human sight is imperfect, especially in children; humans often only see what they want to see, I’ve found. It’s the reason humans believe in things – sometimes religions or other beliefs, sometimes-”

“Sometimes that a big man in a red coat brings presents,” Daniels finished with a grin.

Once the presents were placed underneath the tree, the two ended up back on the couch and curling up together; with him behind her, arms wrapped around her body and his chest pressed to her back, it was an intimate position that they had grown fond of sitting in over the past several years. It made Daniels feel safe, she had decided, safe because she knew he was _there_ and he’d do anything to protect their family; she would too, of course, but she didn’t have synthetic strength or abilities on her side.

Walter noticed that she was steadily growing more exhausted with each passing minute, her weight sagging against him and her head tilting back as she got comfortable. “Perhaps we should go to bed?”

“No,” She murmured sleepily, closing her eyes. “Comfortable by the fire. Stay.”

He carefully brushed the hair from her face, smiling fondly as she dozed off; he wouldn’t let her sleep here all night, of course, just for a short nap – she deserved some rest, after how much work she did for both the colony and their family. To add, he found himself content as he held her in his arms and looked at the crackling flames of the fire; it was peaceful, serene, and a feeling he had grown accustomed to over the years.

His voice was soft as he muttered to himself, quiet but full of feeling.

“ _Merry Christmas, Danny_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Eve – just one more drabble tomorrow and then it’s done! I hope you’ve all enjoyed – I certainly have – and I hope that you all have a Happy Holiday!


	25. Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last drabble – it’s set the year before their son is born, and there’s reference to “a very terrible thing” that happened regarding their attempts to have a child, but I’ve tried to not reveal too much. 
> 
> I hope that you’ve all had a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate!

To say that the year had been a difficult one was…an understatement; after months of arguing with doctors and attempting to implant embryos, it had left both of them feeling rather worn down. Daniels was just plain exhausted, pain and heartbreak written on her face, whereas Walter found himself struggling to making her happy, struggling to balance his own feelings alongside attempting to help her with hers.

Christmas had rolled around, as it always did: truthfully, Daniels didn’t feel like celebrating at all. Even if she was gradually healing and allowing herself time to recover, it seemed inappropriate to celebrate given that such a terrible thing had happened a month before; Walter had insisted, though not pushed her, and reasoned that it might be better if they quietly spent the holiday together – allowing themselves a time to rest and be somewhat distracted.

He hadn’t woken her that Christmas morning, instead waiting for her to wake in her own time – she needed to sleep, given how many nights she had stayed awake crying or hurting. It was shortly after ten when she groggily roused herself, muttering a greeting to him and curling in on herself even more.

“Can’t I just stay in bed?” She murmured, not looking at him. “I don’t want…I know you made gifts, and I appreciate it, but I don’t think it’ll help.”

“Nothing I’ve made will exactly heal your pain, Danny,” Walter said softly. “But it’s tradition and I felt that it might at least take your mind off of things. I can’t force you. We can get up whenever you’re ready.”

As much as she would have preferred to stay in bed, she knew from experience that it was better to get back into the swing of things; Daniels sighed and rolled out of bed, rubbing her eyes. “Fine. I’ll get dressed and we can…do whatever.”

When they went downstairs, he made her some coffee before sitting beside her on the couch; she had lost some weight, he noticed, as she looked thinner than ever – admittedly his hoodies were large on her anyway, but it was more noticeable now. She said nothing as she took her coffee, looking down at the drink and remaining silent.

“I made you a few presents,” Walter informed her after a few minutes. “You don’t have to open them, it’s understandable if you don’t feel up to it-”

“I’ll open them,” Daniels interrupted quietly, putting her coffee down and moving to sit on the floor beside the nearest wrapped gift. ”I’m sorry I didn’t get you a lot…I know you deserve more than two or three gifts, but I just…”

“I don’t mind, Daniels,” He said sincerely. “I am grateful for any gift, and to be spending Christmas with you. That’s all.”

She passed him a few wrapped parcels (mostly books with a new jumper, he later learnt) before picking up one of the ones from him; for ten minutes, she didn’t speak beyond thanking him for the things he had made. He knew she was grateful for the gifts, of course, but grief had made her more lethargic and less enthusiastic; he didn’t judge her for it, for it was only to be expected.

Daniels had finished unwrapping the last gifts and was getting ready to stand when her lover cleared his throat and moved to sit next to her; she shot him a questioning look, confused, but he merely smiled uncomfortably. “I have one more gift, Danny; it’s small, and I did not want it to get lost underneath the tree because it is – in my opinion – more special than the others. I hope you’ll agree when you see it.”

Walter pulled a small box from his hoodie pocket and held it out to her; as she took it, she couldn’t help but think that it looked like a ring box. “Walter…”

“Open it, Daniels,” He said quietly. “And then I’ll explain.”

Still perplexed, she slowly opened the box; inside was a ring, rather simple in design and made of twining pieces of silver. “Oh…Oh, Walter-”

“It’s not an engagement ring,” He informed her, somewhat regretfully. “As you’re aware, it is illegal for synthetic beings to marry – that’s a right reserved for humans, and so it would be pointless for me to even ask. But I did research, and I found that some humans prefer the usage of ‘promise’ rings – they’re a thing of the past on Earth, and now very uncommon.”

“You made me a promise ring?” Daniels asked, voice no louder than a whisper.

Walter nodded, and he looked vaguely anxious. “Yes. I cannot ask you to marry me, Danny, and I am sorry for that because I know usually humans prefer to be married before attempting to start families.” He paused, studying her to be sure she wasn’t upset by him bringing it up – she didn’t appear to be, so he continued. “I cannot ask you to marry me – but I _can_ give you this ring and promise the same things that a human can during a wedding ceremony, even if it’s not legal. I am incapable of lying, so my promise would be truthful.”

“Promise?” She repeated quietly.

“I can promise you that I love you and always will,” He told her, and he took the hand that wasn’t holding the ring box. “I can promise that I’ll be loyal, that I don’t want anyone else, that I’ll be here for you no matter what, and I can promise that I’ll never leave you.” His fingers linked with hers, and he looked somewhat nervous. “I am aware that I cannot take the place of your husband, and I wouldn’t want to – but I do want to be with you for as long as is possible. You…You do not have to accept it, not if you don’t want to.”

For a moment, Daniels didn’t say anything – and then he noticed that tears were running down her cheeks, eyes glistening. “Walter…shit, you made me cry,” She muttered, giving a weak laugh.

“I didn’t intend to upset you or make you cry,” He said, concerned. “I apologize.”

“No, I’m not crying because I’m sad,” She chuckled wetly. “I’m crying because this…this is so _beautiful_ and you’ve made me _happy_ ; this is the best gift I’ve _ever_ received.”

He watched as she took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger to sit beside her wedding ring; once this was done, she leaned forwards to pull him into an embrace that he returned without question. Her tears started to soak through his clothes, but he couldn’t bring himself to mind at all.

“If this _was_ a proposal,” The synthetic muttered curiously. “Would that have been a ‘yes’?”

Daniels laughed again, properly this time, and pulled back to look at him. “Yes – yes, it would have been a ‘fuck yes’!” She took his face into his hands and pressed a small kiss to his mouth, still crying somewhat when they separated. “Thank you, Walter… I love you so much.”

Walter could only smile back, pleased that she seemed happier and that she had accepted his gift. “I love you too, Daniels. I hope that next Christmas, we get what we both want – that we won’t be celebrating alone…that we’ll have a baby by next year.”

“I hope so too,” She agreed, burying her face into his shoulder and closing her eyes. “I want that more than _anything_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t sure if Daniels would wear her wedding ring still but it seemed poetic that she’d still wear it and then have Walter’s ring next to it. I don’t know, seemed poetic and beautiful to me but I’m very romantic at heart! I suppose it’s also one of the few pieces of her husband she still has left, but yeah…
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this series! :) Have a wonderful holiday, guys, and a great start to the new year!

**Author's Note:**

> We need more love for this ship, oops.
> 
> Sorry if this sucks, I really wanted to try and get a drabble a day done! :D
> 
> If you guys have any ideas that you’d like to see for Walter/Daniels on Origae-6 at Christmas, then let me know! Also, these won’t be in any particular order – just as they come to me!
> 
> Like what I post? Why don't you check out [my Ko-fi page](https://www.ko-fi.com/meganwalsh)?


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